Year Of Blood
by Xennie.B
Summary: Sequel to "Secrets Of Blood" - The Master has taken over the world but he's not the only alien that has an interest in the earth's future. The TW Team are forced to face a few home truths as they team up w/ the Pirask to save their Cpt and the World.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

Bloody Himalayas, he couldn't believe it!

Jack had only been gone a month and a half and already the PM candidate, who is most likely to become Prime Minister by this time tomorrow, was sending them to the bloody Himalayas.

In a UNIT helicopter, they were in an chilling breeze, uncomfortable and cramped, which was never a good combination.

Especially with Owen's whining, Gwen swearing at him to shut up and Tosh trying to peacefully diffuse the situation not to mention he was stressed about how he was going to hide his blood from the team on the trip.

At this rate he was going to be insane within the hour and they hadn't even made it outside of the UK yet.

They had no idea what they were even looking for, Harold Saxon said he'd have someone brief them once they reached their destination, which seemed to be in the middle of no where.

He still can't believe the rest of the team voted against him to go on this trip.

Torchwood really didn't work well as a democracy but what choice did they have? It was either that or fight over who should become leader in Jack's absence.

They made it through the last month though, and while all decisions were a group vote, most activities were lead by which ever team member was most suitable for the task.

God he missed Jack.

He hadn't heard anything since the message Jack sent to his PDA nor was Jack back yet.

Arabella and Dexter would be letting themselves into the hub in a few hours, unknown to the rest of the team, to watch over the rift in the team's absence.

Ianto was broken from his thoughts as his mobile suddenly went crazy, beeping away in his pocket.

"You must have just got signal," Tosh said as the other three watched him pull out his mobile and stare at the screen in shock as it finally finished beeping.

Gwen peeked over his sholder to look at the screen.

"You have 33 missed calls and 41 messages. Jesus Ianto!" Gwen gasped

"Who are they all from? Got some wacko new girlfriend?" Owen stirred

Ianto was just about to answer when his screen lit up with another incoming call.

ARABELLA flashed across the screen as the ringtone kicked in.

"Who's Arabella?" Gwen asked

_God she could be nosey sometimes_ Ianto thought ignoring the question as he answered the phone.

"_Ianto thank god! Where the hell have you been, I've been trying to call you for ages?!" _Arabella all but screeched in his ear

"I'm in helicopter Ari, it's not like I've got a solid signal." Ianto replied frowning slightly

"_A helicopter? Where are you?" _

"I don't know Ari, we're on our way to the Himalayas for work,"

"_Who sent you?" _she demanded again, he was getting sick of this

"Harold Saxon sent us, what does that matter though?" Ianto replied sternly

_"Shit! Ianto you have to get that thing to land, get out of there it doesn't matter what it take just get out of there now!" _The total panic that was in her voice startled Ianto for a moment

_"_Ari what's wrong with you? You're not making any sense." Ianto tried

_"You're in danger; do you have any idea where you are? Where are you flying over? Are you still in the UK?" _The question fired like a shotgun, giving him no chance to even open his mouth let alone answer her

"Damn-it Arabella, you're not making any sense!"

By this point the other three were looking at him in confusion and wonder.

There was enough noise from the copter engine to prevent them from hearing the other end of the conversation through his mobile even though they were all squished up together.

There was a muffled shuffle on the other end before Dexter's deeper voice drifted over the line.

_"Ianto are you ok?"_

"We're fine Dexter what is going on?" Ianto asked signing in relief that he'd finally get some answers

_"We got some Intel from our spy in the government, Harold Saxon isn't who he says he is. He's put an assassination order out for all of you. When you land there will be bounty hunters there waiting for you. Alien assassins, some of the very best." _Dexter explained

"Are you sure?" Ianto asked looking out the window trying to find some sort of a sign of where they were using his enhanced senses, knowing while he was facing the window none of the others would see his eye's change colour.

He managed to overhear the pilot talking on the radio about landing in a nearby airstrip, the only problem was they were already descending, which didn't give them much time.

"Where are you?" Ianto asked

_"We've just pulled over at the moment, we're on the bikes, we were heading your way incase we could catch you before you left"__  
_  
"We have a problem. They're taking us down to land, Stark Airstrip, how far away are you?" Ianto asked letting his abilities go and sitting back in his seat.

_"Fifteen minutes if we push the bikes to their limit," _Dexter replied and Ianto could hear motorbikes starting up on the other end of the phone line.

"Hurry." Ianto said hanging up the phone

"What's going on?" Owen demanded

"Harold Saxon has arranged to have us assassinated by alien bounty hunters as soon as we land," Ianto explained digging through his bag in search of his gun.

"What? Why?" Tosh gasped

"How do you know that?" Gwen asked as the rest of the team followed Ianto's lead and pulled out their own weapons.

"A very reliable source from his office." Ianto replied loading his gun.

"They're taking us down now," Tosh informed them a worried note creeping into her voice.

"We know they're coming now, so we can take them out before they get to us," Owen replied, his normal cockiness if full flight.

"Harold Saxon knows who we are and what we're capable of. If he has alien contacts, it's most likely he is one himself. Whatever he's sent after us is going to be enough to care us down with little problems," Tosh said realising their dilemma before the other two.

"Help is on the way. We just have to hold them off until it arrives." Ianto said taking a deep breath and mentally preparing himself for what was about to happen as he felt the helicopter touch down.

TBC


	2. Chapter 1

There was the sounds of confusion and swearing coming from the cockpit of the helicopter as they touched down.

Ianto who was closest leaned into the gap between their two areas to see what was going on, before he even pulled back the curtain, the sound of shattering glass and screams came through and Ianto was thrown backward landing with a cry of pain.

"Oh God!" Tosh gasped holding him where he'd fallen against her and Owen

"Shit!" Owen swore instantly scrambling for his med kit.

Ianto looked down at the blood now staining his shirt where the two ninja like stars were lodged, one in his bicep, the other in his chest an inch from his heart.

Swearing fluently in Welsh he tried to stop the coughing fit he could feel rising, knowing he'd only start coughing up blood and the Rask would need every drop he could hold onto to heal his injuries.

"Ianto are you ok?" Gwen asked still in shock

"Do I bloody look ok?" he hissed out in pain trying to pull from Tosh and Owen's frantic hands, where they were trying to stop the bleeding around the disks.

"Ianto, stay still! you're going to make it worse you twat!" Owen growled

"If we stay here we're all going to die anyway." Ianto groaned

"There's a hanger a few meters away, if we can all get there it might be good for some cover," Gwen said grabbing the ammo and weapons.

Tosh grabbed the med kit and her laptop while Owen helped into and they made a dash for the hanger, ducking as the sound of projectiles and lasers flew at them from different angles.

By some miracle they made it and Ianto slumped to the floor behind some crates while the others secured the hanger, leaving only the main opening to defend.

Making themselves comfortable Tosh and Gwen sat guard behind their crates while Owen saw to Ianto.

"Jesus," Owen swore cutting away Ianto shirt so he could see the injury more clearly.

"Just pull them out already and bandage me up so I can help." Ianto groaned pushing himself into a semi sitting position against the closest crate.

"I can't just pull them out! it's cause more damage than they've already done, I need to get you into surgery,"

"Which isn't going to happen, we need to get out of here alive first." Ianto said reaching up and pulling the one out of his bicep before Owen could stop him.

Slamming his teethe shut against the wave of pain and nausea as he fought to keep himself conscious.

"Fuck! You stupid tosser, are you trying to kill yourself?!" Owen swore catching Ianto as he began to slump forward, pressing a dressing over the now gushing wound.

"Well it's not like you had the balls to do it." Ianto muttered blinking to try and clear his vision.

He could feel his abilities and the Rask trying to force their way to the surface to speed up his recovery but he squashed them back down.

His healing was faster without his abilities brought forward, but they were visibly so if he let the Rask go and fed at the same time.

"I'm not sure if I like this new attitude you've developed today," Owen frowned down at Ianto

"Maybe this is the real me. You don't meet the man until you try and throw him in the volcano." Ianto replied

"Yeah well you can take the real you and your quotes and stick them back in their box. Now do as I say and sit still while I check the damage you've just done."

Ianto was just about to answer when the sounds of motorbikes screeching to a halt outside drifted from outside followed by the sound of shouting and fighting.

"What the hell?" Gwen muttered confused

"Sound like helps here, Help me up so I can see," Ianto ordered

Owen growled something under his breath but help Ianto into a kneeling position so he could look over one of the lower crates next to Gwen.

A figure ran through the door and Gwen carefully took aim.

"No Gwen don't!!" Ianto yelled letting himself fall towards her so he landed against her legs and knocked her off balance.

The figure having heard Ianto's call quickly changed direction and headed straight for them.

"Ianto?" she called out and he smiled in relief.

"We're here Ari!" Ianto called back and a few seconds later she appeared from the other side of the crates.

Seeing the state he was in she quickly dropped to her knees beside him, ignoring the threatening looks the other were giving her.

"Oh damn, that looks painful," She said kissing his forehead before digging into the pack she was carrying.

She pulled out a thermos and unscrewing the cap. "Drink?"

"God yes," Ianto sighed, smelling the blood as soon as the lid had been removed, she handed him the thermos and he drank greedily from it until it was almost empty.

"Easy there Tea-boy you'll make yourself sick," Owen said stepping forward, before stepping back in surprise at the firm scowl Arabella sent in his direction.

Ianto lowered the thermos quickly licking his lips to remove any trace of the blood before slumping back against the crate he was leaning on, sighing in relief as he felt the Rask begin their work, albeit still at a slow rate, glad for the extra blood to feed them.

"Better?" Arabella asked putting the thermos back in her bag.

"Yeah," Ianto replied meeting her eyes as she placed her hand on his chest near the star.

"You ready?" Arabella asked

"Ye-Arrgh!" Ianto cried out as Arabella quickly ripped the star from his chest with one firm tug.

The girls gasped in shock and Owen swearing under his breath yanked Arabella away from Ianto to try and stop the blood flow.

"You stupid insane bitch are you trying to kill him?" Owen demanded

"Quite the opposite actually, he can't heal with a hunk of metal lodged in him now can he?" Arabella replied

"Arabella, I haven't... the don't..." Ianto began hoping she'd get the message.

"I know but, this situation may just force you hand on the matter," Arabella replied apologetically

"What are you two talking about?" Gwen asked glaring at the strange woman.

"Nothing," Ianto replied eyes glued to the floor

"If it's something medical, I have to know about it if I'm going to be able to treat you properly," Owen said in an oddly calm voice which caught Ianto's attention, he didn't often use his doctor voice unless it was something bad.

"I said it's..." Ianto began only to be cut off as a large explosion split the air.

"DEXTER?!" Arabella cried out making a run for the entrance

"No Wait!" Gwen replied running after her.

"Gwen!" tosh called running after her in case she needed backup.

"Bloody hell, Harkness vanishes and we turn into a bunch of civilians running around brainless. Stay here!" Owen said to Ianto before running after the girls.

Ianto rolled his eyes, like that was going to happen. Pulling on the last of his human strength he pulled himself to his feet and made for the hanger door.

What he saw when he reached the door chilled him to his bones.

The explosion had been caused by their helicopter going up.

Arabella, Dexter, Ifan, Zenia and Andre were in hard, fast and brutal hand to hand conbat with what looked like a bunch of half human, half lizards, with large claws and a spiked tail which they seemed to be able to use as a fifth limb.

Owen, Gwen and Tosh were standing just inside the door of the Hanger, guns trained on the clearly unhuman fight before them. Though whether their weapons were trained on the aliens or on the Pirask, Ianto wasn't entirely sure.

Ianto made his way across to the team, ignoring Owen's annoyed look, he came to a halt beside Tosh, resting his hand on her shoulder for support.

Once the Pirask had taken out the last Bounty hunter they began to make their way over to the Torchwood team.

Owen, Tosh and Gwen kept their guns up and aimed at the Pirask as they walked towards them.

"You can put your guns down, they're allies," Ianto explained

"They're not human though, how do we know they weren't sent here to kill us aswell?" Owen asked

"They just took out our Bounty hunters for us," Tosh supplied instantly trusting Ianto's judgement

"They could have done that so they can claim the bounty for themselves." Owen replied

"You watch to much crap on TV," Gwen snorted slowly lowering her own weapon.

"They're friend's of Jack's he's known them for years. I met them a year or so ago when they helped me out with a problem, you can trust them," Ianto explained and finally Owen decided to lower his weapon.

"Are you ok?" Dexter asked once they were closer and he walked straight over to Ianto's side throwing Tosh a small smiled when he got close.

Dexter instantly began checking Ianto over and examining his wounds, which made Owen bristle slightly

"I've been better," Ianto replied grunting slightly as Dexter hit a particularly painful spot.

"Yes well you know what I'm going to say next so I'm not even going to bother, they're your secrets after all, it's your choice." Dexter replied carefully re-bandaging Ianto's wounds completely discarding the tattered remains of his shirt leaving him shirtless apart from the bandages wrapped around his chest and bicep.

"Who are you?" Gwen asked

"My name is Dexter, I'm head on the Coven, the governing body for all Pirask living on Earth. This is my mate Arabella and our colleges are Zenia, Ifan and Andre." Dexter introduced.

"What are Pirask?" Tosh asked and Ianto could tell she was keeping a mental note of all the new information in case it came in handy later.

"The Rask are symbiotic lifeforms that live in the blood stream of a compatible host, enhancing various things about their hosts in order to keep their 'home' safe. The Pirask are those humans who are in a symbiotic relationship with the Rask," Dexter quickly explined

"It's a choice, 98% of the time, it's never forced upon us." Arabella added making sure not to let her eyes drift to Ianto as she said it.

"And the other 2%?" Gwen asked

"The Coven takes care of the Pirask who dares to break our laws and the newly turned is taken into our care so we can teach and help them adjust to their new way of life," Dexter replied eyes flicking briefly in Ianto direction but only Tosh noticed.

She looked at Ianto but he 'appeared' to be distracted by whatever Ifan and Andre were whispering about.

"We've been living amongst you all for thousands of years, most of us in the UK though a few live and work overseas. The Monarchy knows about us and the Prime Minister is usually briefed on us when they are sworn in and have some free time. Apart from that the only other people who know about us are friends and family," Zenia explained

"Jack and Ianto know you and your secrets though. is that because Jack's the head of Torchwood and Ianto the Archivist." Owen asked

"No, I've know Jack for a great many years, now long before he became head of Torchwood, he introduced us to Ianto when something came up that we could help with." Arabella smiled

"Thank you for your help, and for the heads up on the bounty hunters," Gwen said

"Of course, how did you know though," Tosh added

"One of my Coven members managed to get close to Saxon, he was to be the one to brief Saxon on our existence, but with what's been occurring, that's not going to happen so he's been feeding us information instead." Dexter replied

"Come on let's get out of here," Andre said in a rough voice that almost came out as a growl, eyes scanning the area around them.

"Where to? It's not like we can go back to the hub," Owen snorted

"No you can't, Where are you mobile phones?" Andre asked hand outstretched

"Here," Tosh said handing her over

"And the rest of yours?" Zenia urged

The other three passed their phone over to Andre as well, who once he had all four threw them as hand as he could against the tarmac, shattering them.

"What the hell?" Owen shouted

"Saxon has been using the phone to track you, they had to be destroyed so he can believe you are dead." Arabella explained.

"Come on, you're welcome back at my place until we can plan a course of action to deal with Saxon." Dexter said and turned to leave, the other Pirask automatically following him.

"Hang on. Since when do we take orders from you?" Owen demanded,

Dexter paused and turned back meeting Ianto's eyes briefly before facing Owen. The Other Pirask continued towards the motorbikes.

"Since Jack ran off. I may have been a lower rank than your Captain but he respected me enough to follow my advise. I suggest you so the same." Dexter replied before he turned and kept walking.

With a few glances amongst each other the team began to follow the Pirask, Tosh helping Ianto along, took up the rear.

Ianto staggered along with Tosh's help, his injuries slowly draining his strength as he had to constantly hold back the Rask in his blood from surfacing.

Tosh was suddenly pushed forward falling roughly to the ground and Ianto felt himself wretched back. If it wasn't for the strong form holding him from behind by the throat he probably would have fallen.

"Tosh! Ianto!" he heard Gwen cry out

"Shit!" That would be Owen, followed by the sound of their guns being cocked.

He could just make out Arabella's growl, followed by Dexter's calm voice. "He can take care of himself."

Out the corner of his eye he could see a laser gun aimed at Tosh's head where she was positioned on the, where she'd fallen, holding her ankle at their captor's feet.

Owen dropped his gun to the floor and slowly began to approach them with his hand in the air in front of him.

"Now mate... no need to do anything drastic, we can all get out of here if you just let them go and talk to us,"

"One more step and I'll kill them both," hissed a gravely voice near Ianto's left ear.

"That won't help you or us, do you really think we'll let you go if you so much as harm a hair on their heads?" Owen replied voice level though Ianto could see the hard glint in his eyes.

Ianto inwardly groaned closing his eyes and letting the tight hold he kept on his abilities loosen. If it was left up to Owen he was going to get the both killed, and while he might bounce back from it, Tosh wouldn't.

Ianto felt the hand tighten around his neck, sharp claws begining to dig in as his air was cut off... good thing he didn't really need it as he could hold his breath from a pretty long time these days.

"One more step, I snap his neck and disintergrate her head," his captor hissed.

"I don't think you will," Owen replied evenly, his voice even closer which meant he was still moving towards them.

"Fine!" spat their captor

Bloody Owen just had to push it.

The grip suudenly tightened even more on his neack adn he heard the sizzle of the laser gun preparing to fire at Tosh.

No, he couldn't let them hurt Tosh.

It was now or never

So much for his secrets...


	3. Chapter 2

The Rask sang as they were finally allowed out. spreading from the bloodstream into muscle making them stronger, faster.

Towards eyes, eyes, mouth and nose enhancing the senses and turning the iris silver to accommodate the enhancements.

Something was wrong with their home though, it was damaged! so they quickly made their way to the wound and began repairing the damage.

Good thing they'd been give extra food earlier, they had work to do!

----------------------------------------------------

Before the creature could finish pulling the trigger Ianto moved.

Eyes snapping open revealing their sharp silver colour picked up the image of a panicked group as they realised Owen's bargaining had failed.

Jerking his head back to slam into the other creatures face, one hand whipped out and grabbed the arm holding the gun, jerking it quickly hearing a bone snap as the gun clattered to the ground

He knocked the other hand away from his throat and spun around. Then quickly swapping hands, one stayed on the now broken arm and the other caught the creature by the throat.

"You picked the wrong victims," Ianto growled

"There was nothing in the contract about Rask breeds," It hissed trying to get free.

Ianto tightened his grip on the broken arm causing the alien to to groan and cease it's struggling.

"Who sent you?!" Ianto order loosening his grip slightly on the arm only when the answer came.

"The Master,"

"What master?" Ianto hissed in annoyance.

The alien paused looking at him in confusion for a moment "Harold Saxon,"

"Why?" Ianto demanded

The alien refused to answer this time and Ianto once again tightened his grip. "Tell me."

"You're a threat to him. You four puny humans are somehow more of a threat than UNIT. He can handle them but you and your flamboyant Captain are an issue." he spat

Ianto growled deep in his throat.

The sound of a gun firing startled him only a second before the alien dropped dead at his feet, a bullet hole in the centre of it's forehead.

Ianto looked over his shoulder to where Dexter stood gun still raised.

"It's time to go Ianto." he said simply heading towards his bike.

His eyes briefly flicked to Owen and Gwen who were staring at him in shock. He'd deal with them later.

He didn't meet Tosh's eyes as he kneeled down beside her and looked at her ankle. The Rask were still coursing through his body trying to repair the damaged and he didn't want her to freak out at his eyes.

"Does it hurt?" he whispered, though if he spoke normally he knew the other still wouldn't be able to hear them.

"I think I sprained it as I fell. How?" Tosh asked resting a hand on his shoulder.

"Helen Sherman," Ianto replied and he heard Tosh gasp

"The cannibal woman? She did this to you, that's why Dexter looked at you briefly when he said about the 2%, you fitted into the category." Tosh replied gently.

"Jack found me a few days later, I was a mess, he took me to Arabella and Dexter."

"That's where you were when you were away that month," Tosh said sliding her hand from Ianto shoulder to his chin forcing his face up so she could look him in the eyes.

"You could have told me."

"I'm sorry,"

"I understand," she replied with a small smile leaning forward and pressing a kiss to his cheek.

"Come on I'll carry you." Ianto said moving his arms to pick her up bridal style.

"You can't you're still hurt," Tosh protested

"It'll be almost healed by now," Ianto replied scooping her up into his arms with very little effort.

"Really. I don't know what's cooler, the strength, the healing or the eyes" Tosh replied looking him in the face from her new position in his arms.

Ianto eyes danced with relief and amusement as he chuckled at her.

"Nope definitely the eyes."

----------------------------------------------------

It didn't take them long to get on the road, Ianto hadn't even looked at Gwen and Owen again let alone speak to them, they'd approach him when they were ready to, he wasn't going to chase after them.

Arabella was curled up behind Dexter on his bike, Dexter's helmet strapped to the back behind her. Tosh had her arms wrapped tightly around his waist as he drove Arabella's bike, he wore no helmet but Tosh had gratefully accepted Arabella's when it was offered.

Gwen and Owen hadn't been so easy to get on the bikes, though Dexter handled it with his normal calm control, until they were both wearing helmets, Gwen behind Ifan and Owen behind Zenia.

Andre being a bit moodier kept his bike to himself and his helmet... actually Ianto suspected he didn't even own one.

While the others had helmets they never wore them except for show if the police were likely to be nearby.

And hadn't that been an interesting argument between Owen and Dexter on why he should wear a helmet if none of the Pirask were, let alone why he was sitting behind a 'girl' instead on riding up front with her behind him.

He has a nice bruise developing on his check from Zenia after that comment

----------------------------------------------------

They were just reaching the outskirts of London when Dexter pulled back to meet Zenia and Ianto, a quick look in the wing mirror showed Ifan and Andre pulls their bikes up a little closer behind them, then Ianto spotted it, four metal orbs hovering in the air following them. Dexter sent out to the Pirask.The various replied drifted through all their heads and they broke rank a little preparing to spilt on Dexter's signal.

*We have to loose them split up, we'll meet back at the house but whatever you do don't let them track you home.*

*No worries*, *Easy*, *Alright*, *Good luck*,

"Telepathy?" Tosh muttered under his breathe, then it clicked. "So what was that stone you had when you came to see me after Mary?" Tosh said in his ear so he could hear her.

Ianto winced _Busted_ "An alien hot water bottle," Ianto replied squirming slightly as Tosh pinched him hard in the ribs, before hugging him tightly in an understanding thank you

"Hold on!" Ianto called

"Why?"

"You're about to find out why they're Pirask bikes and not for humans. We're being followed, have to loose them," Ianto explained and he felt Tosh adjust her grip on him to hold on tighter still cautious of his injuries.

They were approaching a cross intersection in the road, just inside the city limits when Dexter gave the command.

*_NOW!*_The Pirask revved the bikes and took off at over twice the speed they were going before, ducking and swerving between the other traffic on the road, as soon as they reached the intersection they each shot off in a different direction, Dexter ahead, Ifan left, Arabella down a alley to the left, Ianto right and Andre, without his passenger, spun into a doughnut and headed back the way they came.Ianto's ears rung slightly from Tosh's surprised squeal and he suddenly felt sorry for Ifan who had Gwen's screaming in his ears.It didn't take him long to loose the orb that had been following him, while they were amazingly agile they weren't as fast as him and pushing his speed on the small stretched between intersection or zipping down alleyways soon got enough distance between them for the orb to give up.

He briefly wondered how the others were going as he dropped his speed back to a more normal level so they stopped attracting other people attention but the though slipped from his mind as he registered how tightly Tosh was holding on to him.

Spotting a parking bay up ahead he slowed down and pulled in, ignoring the odd looks they received. They were both filthy from and Ianto was helmet and shirtless with Tosh still clinging to his back.

"Tosh you ok?" Ianto asked pulling her arms away from him so he could turn and look at her.**  
**  
Tosh looked up and him and smiled sweetly.

"As fun as that was... if you ever do that to me again, I'll kill you," she replied and Ianto burst out laughing finally able to relax again.

"I might just bounce back you know," He grinned

"Really?!" Tosh asked eyes wide,"Not quite the same as Jack but it is super hard to kill me these days." Ianto explained with a shrug."They're still silver?" Tosh said meeting his eyes

"Because I'm still using my abilities, they'll change back to their usual blue when I relax and go back to human levels." Ianto shrugged.**  
**  
"Interesting... So how far away is this house?"

"Depends on how fast we go," Ianto grinned

Tosh threw her hands up in the air, "Oh fine I'll just sit here and hang on with my eyes closed. But if we crash I'm coming back to haunt you!"

----------------------------------------------------They were the first ones to reach the house, so after parking Arabella's motorbike where it lived in the garage, Ianto let them into the house.

"You have your own key?" Tosh asked surprised as she looked around the house like one does when the enter a new place.

"This is where I lived for that month, I had my own key by the fourth day." Ianto said taking her hand and leading her upstairs.

"Let's get cleaned up then I'll give you the tour. I've got some spare clothes here, they'll be big on you but at least they'll be clean." Ianto explained leading her into the spare room that was his.

Pulling open the draw though he found all of his things gone, the closest and bedside dresser were the same.

Tosh perched herself on the bed while Ianto went about the room.

He sat down on the bed next to Tosh and frowned at himself in the mirror.**  
**  
"Maybe they packed them into a box for better storage." Tosh suggested

"Nah they wouldn't have done that, Jack's room is left untouched for years at a…" Ianto paused and idea suddenly dawning on him.

Getting up he left the room Tosh following behind him as they entered another room down the hall.

"Who's room is this?" Tosh asked as Ianto walked over to the chest of draws covered in photos.

"Jack's" Ianto replied looking into the draw where his clothes now took up half the drawer, smiling he glanced over his shoulder at Tosh who was standing in the door room looking around in fascination.

"What is it?" Tosh asked walking over to him, she looked into the draw to see the two different styles of clothes.

"Arabella, I'm guessing, decided that next time we came over we were likely to be sharing a room," Ianto explained

"She moved you in with him? Isn't that a bit presumptuous, you haven't been dating a year and then he ran off." Tosh said gently

"She knows us both really well and she was probably right the next time we stay here we probably would have done it anyway, she just beat us to it."

"Do you think he'll come back then?" Tosh asked gently, hopefully, as she scanned the shelf of photos before her."I know he will," Ianto smiled wrapping his arm around her and giving her a side hug.

"He's known them a long time hasn't he?" Tosh said gesturing to the photos, "Do you know how they met,"

Ianto smiled reaching for one of the photo frames amongst the collection and handing it to Tosh.

"Jack was married?!" Tosh blurted in disbelief staring at Ianto as he just grinned at her in reply.

Ianto dug out one of his t-shirts and a pair of Jack's track pants with a drawstring that Tosh could tighten, before pulling out a pair of jeans and t-shirt for himself.

"There's a couple of bathrooms, you can use the ensuite, it's just through that door, I'll use the shared bathroom down the hall." Ianto said handing Tosh the clothes"Thanks Ianto," Tosh replied

"Before you go, can you give me a hand getting out of these bandage, Dexter tied them round the back just out of reach," Ianto replied turning so she could reach his bandages.

Between the two of them they unwound the bandage and Tosh moved around the front of Ianto to examine the wounds.

Tosh stared at Ianto's chest apart from the dried blood marks, there was no sign whatsoever that there had been any injury at all, no scar nothing but smooth pale skin.

"Wow," Tosh whispered hand pressed to where there had been a gaping wound near his heart only hours before.

She looked up meeting Ianto's eyes he gave her a tentative smile which turned into a full grin when she smiled back at him.**  
**

----------------------------------------------------Ianto wandered down stairs in his jeans and t-shirt hair still damp from his shower.

He'd heard the shower running as he'd walked past his and Jack's room so he knew Tosh was still cleaning up.

The other's should have been hear by now so he was a little surprised when he got down stair and found that the house was still empty apart from them.

With a shrug he headed for the kitchen to make a much needed cup of coffee when the doorbell rang.


	4. Chapter 3

Walking towards the door Ianto paused as a tingling sensation erupted in the back on his mind.

It had started some time during the chaos earlier and he'd put it down to needing to feed. But it was an unusual feeling, not like he normally got when he was hunger and it was steadily getting stronger.

Another impatient knock at broke him from his thoughts as he stepped forward to the front door.

He opened the door and quickly had to step out of the way as Owen and Gwen were shoved ungracefully into the house.

"They're all yours, ungrateful shits," Zenia muttered hand still raised from where she'd pushed them, eyes glittering dangerously.

Ianto's eyes flickered to Ifan who was standing just behind her on her right, a position he knew well, the one he often took when he was with Jack in the company of others.

Ianto quickly cleared his mind from thoughts of his missing mate; it wouldn't do to dwell on that now.

Ifan rolled his eyes at Zenia "Are you gonna be alright with them, Dexter and Arabella have been held up. They pulled over for fuel and the cops got them."

"Dexter's gonna be pissed about it for months," Zenia grinned

"And I supposed you're going to milk it for all it's worth," Ianto smiled

"Damn straight, and don't tell me you're not going to get a couple of shots in at some point."

"I suppose," Ianto agreed.

"How long have you been here?" Ifan asked taking in the damp hair from his shower and changed outfit.

"About 45 minutes I guess, what took you guys so long?" Ianto asked

"Ungrateful and painful passengers," Zenia snorted glaring past Ianto at where Owen and Gwen were standing glaring at the trio by the door.

"I see; you're not staying?" Ianto replied opening the door a little wider in invitation.

"Nah, heading back to London, do a bit of research see if anyone in our area knows what's going on. Andre's already at MI5 headquarters questioning the superiors, I promised I'd head in and back him up." Zenia shrugged

"I'm heading back to the museum, see if any of my 'other' contacts have any info," Ifan replied.

"Good luck, let us know what you find." Ianto nodded

"You know we will," Ifan replied as he turned to head back towards the bikes.

Ianto watched a cheeky smile cross Zenia's face.

"See ya Ianto," She said before following Ifan down the path, once she'd caught up with him she smacked him soundly on the butt making him jump as she trotted away laughing at him.

Ianto smiled at their antics before closing the door and with a deep breath he prepared himself to face the other two, ignoring the tingling in the back of his mind.

Owen was flat out glaring at him and Gwen was looking at him like he would lash out and kill them.

"I'll get you some clean clothes to borrow and you can have a shower and change while we wait for the others." Ianto said stepping towards them then pausing as he tried to ignore Gwen's flinch

"Where's Tosh?" She asked suspiciously

Ianto scowled at them feeling insulted and bitter that Gwen could even think he'd hurt her. "Tosh is upstairs finishing up her shower."

Owen's gaze flickered to his arm, eyes widening in surprise before falling back into a scowl.

"So now we have two immortal oddities in our team... what is it a Torchwood long service gift, survive long enough and we'll make you immortal."

"I'm not immortal, not like Jack. Hard to kill but there's still things that could do it." Ianto practically growled finding it harder and harder to keep his frustration and anger in check.

"Like what?" Owen snorted

"Yeah cause I'm really going to tell you that with the way you're reacting." Ianto snorted making to brush past them so he could head back up stairs.

Owen grabbed his arm and he had to quickly squash the urge to wretch it free.

"Has the hole in your chest healed properly?" Owen asked not looking Ianto in the eyes

Ianto sighed knowing it was a step in the right direction to Owen accepting as well as a hint of an apology from the doctor.

"Yes," Ianto replied

Owen nodded and let go of Ianto's arm.

Ianto continued up the stairs only just noticing Tosh standing at the top watching them, he wasn't sure how long she'd been there but judging by the look she was giving Gwen and Owen, she'd heard enough.

He gave her a smile and she returned it with a wink before they went their separate ways, Tosh down to the others and Ianto into his room to find them some clothes.

---------------------------------------  
  
Ianto took his time getting back down to the others with the clothes allowing himself to calm down before facing them again.

Tosh was waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs "I talked to them,"

"You didn't have to," Ianto replied though he was grateful that she'd taken the hard part out of his hands.

"I know," Tosh smiled walking into the lounge where the other two were waiting.

Ianto took a moment to get his thoughts straight before he entered the lounge room.

When he stepped into the doorway he found Tosh admiring Dexter's bookcase full of old novels, Gwen was sitting on the couch lost in thought and Owen could be seen snooping around in the kitchen.

Ianto stood in the doorway for a moment not quite sure what to say.

Gwen was the first one to spot him.

She got up and walked towards him with an odd expression on her face as she paused in front of him.

"Are you still our Ianto?" She whispered

Ianto nodded slowly not breaking eye contact with her as she seemed to search his eyes for something.

A small smile spread across her face and she pulled him into a hug. "I'm sorry love," She said and Ianto relaxed dropping the clothes he was holding onto the back of the couch so he could hug her back.

Owen snorted at them as he walked over and Gwen pulled back throwing him a dirty look.

"Shirt off," Owen instructed as he got near

"What? Why?" Ianto asked confused

"So I can make sure you're actually healed properly," Owen said waving a small first aid kit at him that Ianto suspected was the emergency one from under the kitchen sink.

"I'm fine," Ianto insisted

"Yeah well I'm your doctor, shirt off,"

Tosh rolled her eyes at the pair but was smiling none the less, Gwen hovered nearby wanting to see for herself and Owen just looked at him expectantly.

Ianto sighed before pulling his t-shirt over his head and letting Owen examine his arm and chest where the stars had been lodged earlier.

"Not even a scar," Owen grunted glancing at the two women.

Ianto glanced up at them to find Gwen staring at him. "What is it?" he asked

Gwen blushed slightly before answering "Did that come with being a Pirask?"

"What?" Ianto asked honestly confused with what she was talking about.

"I'm sorry, last time I saw you with your shirt off you were much more… 'receptionistly', your suits weren't hiding that much." Gwen blushed and _Receptionistly? Is that even a word? _Ianto just stared at her not quite sure what to say.

"I have to admit you do look really good standing there in only your jeans." Tosh teased and Ianto easily lobbed a pillow from the couch in her direction.

Gwen and Tosh both giggling as she caught the pillow and threw it back at him.

"Oh for the love of…" Owen muttered

"Jealous Owen?" Ianto smirked glad the tension had been broken for the moment

Owen snorted stepping away and closing up the first aid kit. "So what's with this new attitude of yours? Seems to be more trouble than it's worth if you ask me."

"It's not new," Ianto sighed putting his shirt back on.

"What do you mean; you've never been this… certain of yourself before." Gwen replied

Ianto pinched the bridge on his nose trying to figure out how explain

"This is me, not some new attitude that came with being a Pirask. I gained a bit more confidence and I felt more comfortable with myself around others but it was all there to begin with I just didn't show it." Ianto shrugged

"The 'tea-boy' was a disguise," Tosh spoke up "Whenever we hung out away from work you were yourself,"

"Yes," Ianto nodded

"Why?" Owen asked arms crossed scowl back in place

"At first it was to hide Lisa, then to hide my turning. What better way to hide a secret than to be invisible in plain sight?" Ianto shrugged

"You weren't invisible," Gwen said softly and the room fell into an uncomfortable silence until Owen broke it.

"I need a drink," he said heading for Dexter's bar.

Ianto feeling uncomfortable under Gwen's sympathetic gaze moved over to the window taking in the view of the paddock beyond as it began to rain.

Tosh moved past him towards the couch squeezing his shoulder briefly in comfort and support as she went.

"Holy Fuck!" Owen suddenly blurted from the bar catching all of their attention.

"What is it?" Gwen asked as Ianto groaned realizing what Owen had stumbled across.

Owen held up a couple of blood bags and placed a decanter full of human blood on the bar for the girls to see.

Gwen gasped while Tosh just glanced at Ianto curious for an explanation.

"What the hell is all this blood doing here?" Owen demanded staring at Ianto.

"It's food, the Rask need more blood than our body produces to survive, so we have to feed them... All extraordinary things come with a price." Ianto explained not really seeing a way to avoid telling them.

"You're a fucking vampire?!" Owen demanded

Gwen stared at him in shock while Tosh's eyes flicked between him and the blood, her mind going full speed as she took in the new information.

"I'm not a bloody Vampire. I don't have the teeth you twat." Ianto muttered and whatever reply Owen was about to come up with was cut off as the front door was swung open before being slammed shut loudly.

Dexter stormed into the room swearing in at least four different languages Ianto recognized and several he didn't, followed by a highly amused Arabella.

"Get out of my bar!" he growled grabbing Owen by his shirt and physically moving him out of the way with one hand while the other snatched the blood bags off him.

"Went well then," Ianto smirked only to have one of the blood bags thrown at him.

"Shut up and feed!" Dexter growled

Arabella scooped up the clothes Ianto had dropped on the edge of the couch earlier and looked at them in amusement.

"Owen I can't do much about you, you'll have to wear these they'll just be a bit big, but for you girls I can probably find you something better fitting." Arabella said knowing she had to leave Dexter and Ianto to talk she gestured for the humans to follow her.

With a quick look between Dexter and Ianto the trio gave in and followed Arabella upstairs.

Ianto walked into the kitchen and grabbed two glasses, splitting the blood bag between them leaving Dexter to fume over his own glass at the bar for a few minute.

Entering the room, he placed Arabella's glass on the table, knowing she's be back down soon before turning and studying Dexter.

They drank in silence for a while and as they both finished one glass Dexter poured them another without a word.

The tingling headache Ianto had had most of the morning was still there even after feeding but he figured he must have been more hungry than he thought so he accepted the refill with a smile before finally breaking the silence.

"Are you going to tell me what's really wrong? There's no way you'd be this mad over a speeding ticket that you can pay without even denting your budget."

Dexter looked up but his eyes were on Arabella as she re-entered the room, Ianto picked up the glass and held it out for her.

"We heard some news while we were on our way back home," Arabella explained taking the offered glass from Ianto with a smile.

"While we were running around fending off Saxon's assassins this morning the rest of the votes came in. The bastard is now the Prime Minister of Great Britain." Dexter growled.

Ianto frowned steeping forward to the TV and flicking through the channels until he found the election results.

Saxon had won by 96% impossible odds unless there was some form of foul play involved.

The channel suddenly flickered as a broadcast was placed over the normal programming, hearing movement behind him he glanced back to see the other three enter the room now cleaned up.

He noticed their gazes flicker to the glass in his hand but he didn't bother hiding it, they were going to have to get used to the idea of him drinking blood eventually.

Everyone moved around the TV to listen as Saxon began his broadcast.

When the Toclafane came on he looked to Dexter who shook his head, no he didn't know the species.

"...every medical student,"

Ianto froze as the tingling in the back of his mind suddenly exploded

Confusion, surprise, wonder.

Feelings swelled through him and he felt the glass he was holding in his hand shatter in his grip but he paid it no attention.

Shock, a flash of fear, accusation, anger, worry, pain....

Ianto had no idea how long he'd been there staring into space as emotions pushed through him, but it must have been a while the others were crowded around where he stood worried for him.

Owen's hand on his wrist checking his racing pulse.

Gwen and Tosh hovering to either side of him.

Arabella in front of him, calling his name over and over.

Dexter behind him, strong hands working his shoulders trying to snap him out of it.

None of it mattered.

The only thing that mattered was the connection that had opened again and opened with a vengeance.

"Jack," he whispered and everyone around him froze

The last thing he felt was Dexter's strong arms catching him as he fell unconscious.


	5. Chapter 4

Jack dialed the number again but Ianto didn't answer, sighing in frustration he tried the rest of the team but once again got no answer from any of them. This was ridiculous they weren't even answering the phones at the hub. This wasn't like them, something must be wrong. He quickly dialed Ianto's number again only to have the exact same result.

"Jack you've been trying to get a hold of... whoever it is for ages they're obviously not there," The Doctor sighed in annoyance.

Jack glanced over at the Doctor who was sitting next to him in the back of the cab, meeting the annoyed look with one of his own.

Martha glanced at the pair from the front seat where she was giving the cab driver directions to her flat as they made their way through the streets of London.

"Who are you trying to ring anyway?" the Doctor asked suspiciously he knew Saxon had something funny going on within the city and he wasn't ready to trust anyone just yet.

"Friends," Jack replied bluntly.

Martha looked at him sympathetically having figured he was probably trying to reach the same person he'd contacted from the end of the universe.

"This isn't the best time to be catching up with people Jack," The Doctor muttered.

"They can help us," Jack scowled at the older being still not entirely used to this regeneration's careless manner with words.

"Who are they then? UNIT?" the Doctor replied perking up a little.

"Not exactly," Jack replied flipping open his wrist strap he tried to trace their mobile phones only to come up blank. Getting more worried by the second Jack scanned for Ianto's PDA only to come up with a small message saying the signal had been scrambled.

Jack thumped the armrest in frustration mentally cursing himself all the way to hell for making Ianto's PDA untraceable, it had seemed like a good idea at the time. The cab driver gave him annoyed looked, the Doctor was still intrigued and Martha just looked concerned. Jack ignored all three of them as he tried to calm down by staring out the window.

Taking a deep breath to make sure he was completely calm Jack closed his eyes in concentration. He focused all he could on Ianto and their bond but all he got was a sort of numb static.

He slipped a finger under his wristband gently rubbing the bonding mark hidden there; he just hoped his sudden absence hadn't damaged their new bond somehow. At least the numb fuzziness meant Ianto was still alive.

But where was he? Why couldn't he contact the team? Why couldn't be contact Ianto? He just hoped the Master hadn't gotten to them already.

------------------------------------------------------

Jack tried to focus on what was happening around him but failed. Martha and the Doctor were arguing in the front seats while he was cramped in the back of Martha's tiny car as they raced the short distance to Martha's mother's house. Jack couldn't focus though, he felt nauseous, if the Master knew about Martha's family then he definitely knew about Torchwood, but that wasn't what was making him sick.

Martha hit the breaks as they reached the house, he could hear people screaming but he couldn't concentrate enough to make out any words.

When he focused on it he realized with brain numbing nausea that is was originating from his link with Ianto.

For a moment he feared something had happened to Ianto but he had no more time to dwell on it as bullets tore into the car. Jack shook his head, he couldn't help them if he ended up captured or killed; he had to focus.

Ianto would be ok, he was a Pirask and so much more smarter than his years.

He'd take care of the others; they'd all be ok.

Ianto would be ok.

He - they had to be.

"Martha we need to get rid of this car," Jack instructed

Martha opened her mouth to protest

"Do as I say, pull over. Right now."

------------------------------------------------------

Jack watched As the Doctor set up the laptop so he could connect his wrist strap to it, he could have easily done it himself, his wrist strap had the capability to send it straight through but he was caught in his own thoughts.

He was not looking forward to telling the Doctor he ran Torchwood especially since he knew how the Doctor felt about the organization.

What was bothering him more though was _why_ the message had been sent to his wrist strap. All alerts came through Tosh's workstation and all urgent mail through Ianto's. When they are not viewed within half an hour they should be sent to Jack's computer or Ianto's PDA where it is always seen. It only comes directly to his wrist strap if it's not viewed at either of the second level locations. Ianto never left his PDA behind, never, he always had it on him and he **always **answered it.

------------------------------------------------------

Dexter walked into the room with a bag of blood, a stand and an IV line. Ianto had been placed in his and Jack's room and so far had not woken from his collapse a few hours ago. Owen and Dexter had both been checking in on him while Tosh sat by his bed. The rest of them had stayed downstairs watching the constantly updated flow of news reports about Saxon and his Toclafane. The most shocking was seeing Jack named as public enemy number two and a hunt for the trio had been announced an hour ago.

It was the proof Dexter had needed though, Jack was back and the cause of Ianto's unconsciousness was a neural shock caused by their bond reopening without him realizing or controlling it. The problem was he couldn't fix it or wake Ianto.

Jack was the only one who could bring the young Pirask from his sleep. All he could do in the meantime was keep Ianto fed and safe.

Dexter stepped up to Tosh and placed his hand on her shoulder making her jump slightly. She had been so focused on Ianto and lost in thought that she hadn't even heard him come in.

"Go take a break and get something to eat and drink. I'll stay with him while you do," Dexter said gently.

Tosh gave him a grateful smile and with one last look at Ianto trudged tiredly from the room. Dexter put the things he brought in on the edge of the bed as he began to set them up. He was just inserting the IV into Ianto's arm when he heard footsteps and looked up as Owen walked in. The young Doctor gave him a wary look before his eyes landed on the blood bag and widened in shock.

"What are you doing? That's not Ianto's blood type. You'll make him sick!" Owen argued.

"I know what I'm doing," Dexter replied calmly

"It doesn't bloody look like it! He hasn't got any injuries he's just unconscious. He doesn't need any blood and he certainly doesn't need the wrong blood type." Owen replied tightly.

Dexter ignored him and started the blood flowing into Ianto's veins.

Owen stepped forward to stop the drip but Dexter stepped directly between him and Ianto.

Owen was about to yell at him when Dexter's calmly met his eyes and spoke.

"Trust me. I would never do anything to harm him. Jack has always spoken very highly of you as a Doctor, but Ianto is a Pirask, which is my area of expertise." Dexter began and Owen stepped back a little but was still tense.

"When people can't eat or drink in a hospital you give them a Saline drip correct?" Dexter asked and Owen nodded.

"With Pirask you give them a blood drip. Same equivalent only better because it also boosts the Rask into healing anything that might be wrong," Dexter finished explaining

Owen nodded in understanding but his eyes were still on the bag, "But the type is wrong,"

"It doesn't matter any more, Ianto doesn't have a normal blood type any more, his blood is full of Rask and I imagine if you ran a test to determine his type it would either come back inconclusive or as a combination of all the types." Dexter shrugged.

Owen was silent for a moment before nodding his acceptance.

"I'm going to sit with him for a while, Tosh needs a rest and Gwen is the best candidate for convincing Tosh of that so I volunteered to sit with him for a while." Owen explained settling himself into Tosh's seat.

Dexter didn't say anything only nodded and headed for the door.

He was glad to see the team cared to much about each other, Jack had always said they were close, not quite a family but getting there.

He hadn't believed him at first but now, seeing them stick together during this crisis and taking Ianto's revelation into stride, albeit a little bumpily, he was beginning to think that maybe Jack was right about them after all.

Dexter was almost out of the room when he heard a soft trilling noise coming from Ianto's pack in the corner.

Frowning in confusion as he knew all their mobile had be destroyed he made him way over to the pack.

"What is it?" Owen asked noticing Dexter kneel next to Ianto's things.

Dexter didn't reply until he found the source, "It's Ianto's PDA," Dexter explain holding it up.

"Huh, I've never seen that thing before. It's been going off for hours though, every quarter hour or so, we all just assumed it was something of yours in the house that was making the noise." Owen replied. Dexter nodded at Owen before heading out of the room and down the hall to his study. Once there he took a seat at his desk and placed the PDA down in front of him.

Opening the message he saw that it was an alert to tell Ianto an encrypted file had come in and then been forwarded to Jack's wrist strap when it went unanswered for to long. He tried to open the file but when it asked for a password he stopped not being one to break another's privacy.

Staring at the PDA he began to think, if it was linked to Jack's wrist strap, with a little bit of tweaking he might just be able to get it to contact the Captain, or better get him here.

Booting up his computer he found the right cable to link the two together and quickly got to work on his plan.

------------------------------------------------------

"Does that thing work as a teleport?" The Doctor asked never taking his eyes off of the Master.

"Since you revamped it? Yeah," Jack replied setting the co-ordinates and preparing the device for teleportation.

Martha and the Doctor placed their hands onto his wrist strap and he hit the final button activating the teleport.

Jack was no stranger to teleportation but when they reappeared, he was slammed into the nearest object, taking him completely by surprise at the force of it.

For a minute he sat their dazed staring at the cream coloured wall in front of him.  
_  
That shouldn't have felt like that. If I didn't know better I'd say something messed with the teleport, but there's nothing on Earth that I know of capable of that, maybe the doctor messed with the setting a little when he fixed it._

Jack blinked at the wall a couple more times before frowning.  
_  
Who the hell paints an aircraft carrier that colour?  
_  
Jack felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see a very familiar and very unexpected face.

"Nice to see my plan worked."


	6. Chapter 5

"Dexter?" Jack asked staring at the face before him "How?"

"Jack what's going on?" The Doctor asked standing and helping Martha up as Dexter pulled Jack to his feet.

"I'm not sure," Jack replied, looking around the room, no he wasn't imagining it, he really was in Dexter's study.

The Doctor finally looked at the man helping Jack to his feet and frowned as if trying to remember where he'd seen him before.

Jack looked between the pair, he knew that Dexter had met the Doctor in a few of his previous regenerations but it must have been years ago for the Doctor who was having a hard time remembering the face amongst the thousands he'd met through his life.

"Doctor let me reintroduce Dexter Syrah leader of the Pirask Coven here on earth." Jack

"Oh Yes! Now I remembered we had an interesting time with the flesh eating crows last time we met," The Doctor beamed

"Yes Doctor it has been a while," Dexter replied throwing a quirk of a smile at the Time Lord.

"This is my companion Martha Jones and by the looks of it you already know Jack," The Doctor said bouncing on his toes, then he fell completely serious and gravely met Dexter's gaze "Are you aware of the Time Lord posing as Prime Minister?"

"Indeed we knew there was something odd about him but it wasn't until recently we could find any evidence to support our suspicions and we weren't aware that he was a Time Lord, particularly as I believed you were the last,"

"As did I," The Doctor muttered before turning to face Jack "I didn't know you knew the Pirask."

"Dexter and his mate Arabella have been good friends of mine for a long time now Doctor," Jack replied

"I thought you lot were a bit more secretive about who you told your secrets to, the head of Torchwood wouldn't have been my first choice," The Doctor replied.

Jack bristled slightly and Martha looked like she was about to slap the Doctor for letting his mouth run away with him without thinking.

"I believe running into your ex-wife forty years after your 'death' when neither of you have aged a day kind of breaks the ice for an interesting conversation. Beside Jack wasn't the head of Torchwood back then and even if he is now, he's still the one of the only men I trust with my life." Dexter replied.

Jacks eyes widened in surprise at the last part of Dexter's statement.

The Doctor's jaw dropped "You were married?!"

Jack rolled his eyes trust the Doctor to pick up on that part more than the rest.

"Yes I was married to Arabella for 6 years before I went away to war and was killed in action." Jack shrugged.

Martha looked around the room and between the three men before deciding it was time to change the topic "How did we get here I thought we were teleporting to the Valiant?"

"That's a good question," Jack replied.

"You mean you didn't' bring us here?" The Doctor asked glancing at the captain. Jack shook his head.

"So how did we get here then?" Martha asked confused.

Jack shrugged before looking to Dexter for an explanation.

"Long story short I used Ianto's PDA to manipulate your teleport to draw you here." Dexter replied.

"Oh... ... That was rather anti-climatic really," The Doctor shrugged

"Why do you have Ianto's PDA? I've been trying to call him and the others since I got back but no one's answering are they ok? Where are they?" Jack asked anxious to find out what had happened to them.

"They're... fine; they're not answering their phones because we destroyed them so Saxon couldn't track them after he tried to have them assassinated." Dexter replied.

"The Master tried to assassinate them?" The Doctor asked having been more interesting in snooping around the room than listening to the conversation.

"No, he put out a bounty," Dexter replied giving a look that clearly told the Time Lord he was watching him,

"Well that makes more sense, I couldn't imagine him getting his hands that dirty for a bunch of humans he didn't even know," The Doctor replied shoving his hand into his pockets in an attempt to look like he hadn't been snooping.

"It doesn't matter!" Jack growled, "Where are they?"

"Downstairs but..." Dexter didn't have a chance to answer as Jack was already out the door and heading down the hallway.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Jack flew down the stairs and into the lounge stopping at the sight before him.

There was his team; Gwen curled up on the sofa watching the TV, Owen sitting on the floor in front of her with a mug of coffee in his hand looking utterly bored at what was clearly the girls choice of a movie, he could see Tosh pottering about in the kitchen and Arabella was sitting on the window ledge talking on the phone to Peter, judging by what she was saying. But there was no young Welshman in sight.

Tosh walked out of the kitchen and dropped the plate of biscuits she was carrying "Jack?" she gasped in surprise and he instantly had the attention of everyone else in the room.

The other's stared at him in shock, Arabella quickly signing off and hanging up the phone. He really had no idea what to say to them so he just stood there staring in return and wondering where Ianto was.

He heard footsteps on the stairs behind him and turned to see Martha and the Doctor reach the bottom on the stairs, Dexter just behind them as they joined him in the doorway.

"Hello there," The Doctor grinned which seemed to snap the others out of their shock, Arabella was the first one to move and being the fastest in the room she threw herself into Jack's arms before the others had even left their positions.

Arms wrapped tightly around Jack's neck she pulled him in for a quick kiss. "Oh thank god you're back." She whispered before stepping out of his arms and promptly slapping him across the face, hard. "And if you ever run off like that again I swear to god I'll..."

Arabella's tirade halted as Jack pulled her back into a hug, "I'm sorry," he whispered into her ear.

"I'm not the only one you need to apologize to," she whispered back hugging him tightly before stepping away to allow his team near him.

"Where the fuck have you been Harkness?!" Owen growled, the girls stood back unsure what to say or do.

"I had to get some answers and I didn't have time to stop and say goodbye before I missed my chance." Jack replied.

"Was it really that important to you?" Tosh asked.

"I've been waiting over a hundred years for these answers," Jack replied ignoring the Doctor's uncomfortable shuffling behind him.

"Who are they?" Gwen asked glaring slightly at the two new strangers.

"This is the Doctor and Martha Jones, and before you ask, yes he is the same Doctor that Torchwood was created to capture and no we're not going to be doing anything of the sort," Jack replied.

The trio stared at him for a few minutes more before Tosh made the first move; she stopped a few inches in front of him staring up into her boss's eyes.

"I'm glad you're back," she smiled closing the space between them and Jack pulled her in hugging her close.

"So am I," Jack replied kissing the top of her head.

Tosh stepped back and Jack quickly found himself with his arms full of a huggable Welshwoman.

"Miss me?" Jack smirked.

"Of course," Gwen replied beaming up at him before a small frown crossed her face.

"Why didn't you tell me, us about Ianto?" Gwen asked

"What about Ianto?" Jack asked instantly looking for his mate again. The whole team was here as well as Arabella and Dexter, so where was Ianto and why couldn't he feel him through their bond?

"We know he's a Pirask, if you knew why didn't you say something? I should have been informed the minute you found him sick during his turning. I'm his doctor!" Owen replied arms folded, but Jack wasn't really listening he was beginning to panic as he found no trace of the Welshman anywhere.

"Where is he?" Jack asked pulling himself from Gwen's arms much to her disappointment.

"Who? Ianto?" Gwen asked and Jack could have slapped her for asking such a stupid question.

"Who's Ianto?" Martha asked

Jack sighed in frustration, "Where is he?"

"Sick. He's in bed upstairs unconscious, he passed out a few hours ago, I don't know why and I don't know when he'll wake up." Owen said.

"The last thing he said before he passed out was your name," Tosh said quietly.

Jack's eyes widened in shock before he turned on his heal and took off upstairs pushing past Martha and the Doctor in the process.

"Jack!" Gwen called and Jack could hear the others following him upstairs to where he'd frozen just inside their bedroom door.

Their bedroom, Arabella had asked him about moving Ianto's things in and he'd instantly agreed, though he hadn't told Ianto yet, he'd wanted it to be a surprise.

But their Ianto was lying in their bed, in their room, but not how Jack had imagined him.

Jack had imagined him there with that cheeky smirk of his as he leaned back wearing his birthday suit inviting Jack to join him.

Not the pale man Jack saw before him, motionless with a drip beside the bed that had obviously been in his arm a short time before.

He felt Dexter's hand on his shoulder and looked at the other man, his eyes asking what his voice was unwilling to.

Not needing the others to hear, as he knew Jack and Ianto's relationship was still a secret to the rest of the team, he pulled Jack to the other side of the room and dropped his voice to a whisper.

"When Mates are separated by a great distance their bond goes into a sort of stasis, but when they come back into range with each other the sudden rush of having the other near again is overwhelming. You wouldn't experience it, being human, but Ianto does. Normally when bonded couple reunite being near each other stabilizes the sudden rush and they suffer from virtually no side effects."

"But I wasn't here so I couldn't help him," Jack said not bothering to keep him voice down, it was his fault Ianto was like this after all why shouldn't the others blame him too.

"Jack," Ianto's hoarse voice drifted from the bed as his head rolled in the direction of Jack's voice. Everyone's attention flew to the bed and Owen was instantly by Ianto's side.

"That's the first sign of life we've seen from him since he collapsed." Toshiko gasped staring at Jack with a mix of awe, amusement and hope.

Owen checked all of Ianto's vitals as the other watched in silence. No one was paying any attention to Jack who was steadily stripping down to his boxers while never taking his eyes of Ianto's still form.

"His vital signs haven't changed he's not waking up," Owen sighed stepping away from the bed.

"Can I do something to help?" The Doctor asked glancing at Dexter and freezing as he frowned the now almost naked Jack in confusion.

"No there's nothing you can do, Jack's the only one who can help Ianto at the moment," Dexter replied and the other all turned to look at the captain but his eyes were firmly locked on Ianto.

"Jack what are you...?" Gwen began to ask but stopped as Jack simply ignored her and headed towards the bed.

Without saying a word he lifted the covers and slipped into the bed beside Ianto.

"Harkness what the hell are ...," Owen began to move towards the bed but Arabella grabbed him arm and held him back.

"Don't. Just watch," she whispered.

Just as Jack had settled down on his side Ianto began to stir, he rolled over into Jack's arms and they curled around each other in a manner that was so familiar to both men it was practically second nature. Ianto's head tucked under Jack's chin his ear pressed to his chest so he could hear Jack's heartbeat in his sleep and take in his smell as Jack ran his fingers through Ianto thick dark curls.

"What...?" Gwen muttered but Jack ignored her and everyone else in the room was either to shocked or holding their breath in hopes that this would work. Jack smiled down at the man asleep in his arms, they'd spent so many nights like this, Jack awake running his fingers through Ianto's hair and singing or talking softly to him as he slept in the very same position they were in now.

"I'm sorry I left you," Jack whispered pressing a kiss into Ianto's hair.

Ianto yawned and began to shift in his sleep showing signs of waking; one hand lazily came up and rubbed an eye as everyone held their breath.

Jack stared down as the head on his chest lifted and those gorgeous blue eyes slowly opened to meet him.

"Welcome back," Jack whispered.

Ianto blinked in confusion as his mind caught up to the rest of him, a brilliant smile spreading across his face.


	7. Chapter 6

Jack and Ianto stared into each other's eyes, totally oblivious to the world around them. Oblivious to the amused gazes of Dexter and Arabella, the exasperated look from the Doctor, the look of relief Toshiko wore, while trying not to look at the pair as she felt as if she was intruding, the completely shocked disbelief on Owen and the surprise and jealousy from Gwen.

They didn't care.

Ianto's hand slid to the back of Jack's neck and through instinct he pressed their foreheads together, re-opening Jack's side of the bond. Jack gasped as the younger man's emotions swelled through him. At least he knew why he hadn't been able to reach Ianto through their bond. His side of the bond had needed Ianto to open fully; all he'd gained was a trickle while Ianto bore the brunt of the stress of needing to be united with his mate.

_Missed you _Ianto's voice rang strong and clear through Jack's mind along with the accompanying emotions. It wasn't until that moment that Jack realized just what he'd been missing; it was not just Ianto, or the intimacy, but everything to do with the Welshman, their entire relationship and connection, he'd missed it all. Jack groaned and leaned down capturing Ianto's lips in a deep kiss relaying his own feelings back to his mate the best way he knew how.

Martha looked around the room in confusion; she wasn't sure what was going on but she got the feeling this was rather an intimate moment they were intruding on between Jack and the man that she assumed he'd put all that effort into to calling from the end of the universe.

She was just about to quietly suggest to the others that they leave the pair alone when Jack pulled the younger man into a passionate kiss and it was as if a dam had burst, hands roamed with an almost desperate need but it wasn't until Ianto's shirt was flung in their direction that the others finally registered that it was time for them to leave. The group quickly shuffled to the door, Dexter at the rear pulled the door closed behind them, but not before Ianto's voice gasping Jack's name and Jack's deeper groan drifted through.

They quietly made their way down stairs into the lounge room; everyone was too lost in their own thoughts or embarrassment to say anything.

"Coffee?" Arabella asked and after getting various responses made her way into the kitchen to get everyone drinks.

"I told you they were shagging." Owen said smirking at Gwen and Tosh. Dexter stood to one side listening while Martha and the Doctor joined the Torchwood team on the sofas.

"It's more than that," Tosh frowned.

"How do you know that?" Gwen questioned still sounding jealous.

"Jack and Ianto have been _dating _for months now," Tosh replied emphasizing the word.

"I'm sorry but Jack Harkness doesn't date. Flirt - yes, sleep around - yes, I've even seen him do romantic on the odd occasion but he backs out long before anything can even come close to 'dating.'" The Doctor argued

"You don't know that for sure," Martha argued gently.

"I've known Jack for a lot longer than anyone else in this room..." Dexter cleared his throat, "Except for Dexter and Arabella and I'm telling you it's just not the man's style," The Doctor argued.

"A man can change, it's been 150 for him years since you two last met," Dexter replied diminishing the Doctor's arguement.

"See I told you, Ianto is nothing more than Jack's part time shag, why else do you think he kept him around after the thing with the cyber chick," Owen snorted choosing to ignore Dexter's comment.

"But Owen..."

"Owen's right Tosh, although he could find a better way to say it, Jack isn't the type to settle down with someone like Ianto," Gwen replied.

"It's not like you actually know him," Tosh muttered under her breath though the amused look Dexter threw her way told her that he'd heard her quite clearly.

------------------------------------------

Cozy warmth

Silky skin

Soft touches

_Missed You_

Gentle lips

Husky whispers

Shared thoughts

_Love You_------------------------------------------

"I don't know you don't ring a 'part time shag' from the end of the universe just to make sure he got the message you sent him." Martha said and the whole room quickly fell silent.

"He did what?" The Doctor asked in surprise.

"He used the TARDIS and his Vortex Manipulator to send a message to Ianto because he wasn't sure that Ianto had gotten the message he left for him when he ran off to meet you," Martha explained and the Doctor just sat their staring in the direction of the staircase lost in thought as he found he suddenly needed re-think his opinion of the pair, no couple? upstairs.

"Why didn't Ianto tell us he'd heard from Jack? He didn't have a right to keep that to himself. We were searching for him for weeks, hell we never stopped looking and all this time Ianto knew exactly where he was and what happened to him. He had no right not to tell us," Gwen fumed.

Martha felt like slapping herself as she watched the tempers in the room climb, she hadn't meant to start anything, she'd just wanting to back Tosh up, she seemed like a nice person and was obviously close to either Jack and/or Ianto if she knew the truth about them.

"Actually he had every right," Came a cool voice and everyone looked up to see Arabella standing in the kitchen doorway holding a tray of drinks. No one was really sure how long she'd been standing there but the look of fury that filled her normally friendly eyes told them she'd probably heard enough.

Arabella walked over and placed the tray down on the coffee table. Toshiko, Martha and the Doctor reached for their drinks while Owen and Gwen stared mulishly at Arabella.

"We are _all_ part of this team; there is no reason whatsoever that allows Ianto to keep the whereabouts of our missing leader from the rest of us. Especially when he knows how much I... we all were looking for him." Gwen scowled.

"Whether they're shagging or not, he should have told us the minute he got the message," Owen added.

"That message was a private message between Jack and Ianto, in which Jack asked Ianto not to say anything to the rest of you but to look out for your safety while he was gone," Arabella stated trying very hard to keep her temper in check.

"Then Jack was in the wrong as well, he should have sent the message to all of us at the hub not just his precious tea-boy!" Owen snapped.

"A man has every right to contact his Mate whenever the bloody hell he wants to!" Arabella retorted eyes flashing silver as she glared at the human pair as well as the doctor who was currently choking on his tea, being the only one who understood completely what she'd just said.

------------------------------------------

Jack stared down at the sated young Welshman beside him. For the moment there was no crisis, no team downstairs waiting to confront them and no Master bent on ruling the world. They only had a little time before they had to return to the chaos they lived in but for the moment all there was was each other. Trailing his hand gently along Ianto's side, he smiled as the younger man squirmed at the contact. Ianto sleepily opened his eyes to stare up at Jack a small frown marring his face.

"Did he help?" Ianto asked and Jack didn't even need to ask to know what Ianto was talking about.

"A little, he can't fix me but I know how it happened. Rose did it to save my life but she couldn't control the power she was using and brought me back permanently," Jack explained.

"Life brought out of Love. Can't argue with that," Ianto sighed.

"No you really can't." Jack replied leaning down to press a gentle kiss on Ianto's lips.

"But if she knew she brought you back why'd they leave you behind on the Game Station?" Ianto asked confused.

"She was unconscious when they left," Jack muttered and Ianto instantly picked up the shift in his mate's mood through their bond.

Pushing himself up onto his elbows he met Jack squarely in the eyes "Did the Doctor know you were alive again?"

Jack paused trying to find the right wording that wouldn't send Ianto after the Doctor's hide but there really wasn't a easy way to put it. "Yes; he ran away from me, from what I had become, a fixed point in time and space... wrong," Jack whispered and Ianto's anger surged as he felt the hurt rolling off Jack in waves.

How could the doctor do that to him? The Doctor, a man whom Jack admired so much that he'd waited over a hundred years waiting for him. Whom he had no doubt the captain had been in love with. Jack wasn't a bashful school boy, there was no way he would have hidden how he felt about the Time Lord so the Doctor had to have known, and he just left him there! Then when Jack finally finds him again he...

Jack pulled Ianto into his arms and held him close knowing the younger man was two seconds from jumping out of the bed and laying into the Time Lord downstairs.

Feeling Jack's worry, Ianto began to calm down again. "Sorry, I just..."

"I know... Thank you."

"You're not wrong. Not even close to it." Ianto whispered pulling the hurt older man into a deep kiss pushing all of his feelings for him though their bond.

_I missed you, so much_ Ianto heard Jacks voice in his mind and pulled back to look at the other man in surprise. They'd been able to send small statements to each other during sex but that was because of the complete openness and connection they reached in that moment. Apart from that the only time they'd been able to send words was when Jack tried to before he left; it had come out broken and indistinguishable though. It wasn't like using his telepathy with the other Pirask either, that required a conscious effort, whereas communication though a bond was supposed to be effortless. He and Jack just didn't have a strong enough bond for it yet. It was like the difference between picking up a piece of paper and lifting a box full. Both were possible though one required more effort and was less natural.

"It's getting stronger, our bond. It starts with whispers during sex, then moves to when we're close. Soon we'll be able to talk to each other mentally across the room." Jack smiled.

"What's the final limit?" Ianto asked in wonder.

"Not sure. I know Arabella and Dexter can have a conversation from their individual houses, which is about a 12kms drive," Jack replied.

Ianto was just about to respond when there was a soft knock from the door.

"Who is it?" Jack called.

"It's me Jack, can I come in?"

Ianto stiffened again in his lover's arms before rolling over to get out of the bed and flee to the bathroom. Jack caught him around the waist and pulled him back against his chest.

"Come on in Doc," Jack called back flicking the sheet back so it covered both of them.

"You have to meet him sometime," Jack whispered as Ianto stubbornly relaxed back into his embrace and the door opened. The doctor walked in and paused, seeing the two men in bed together, only a sheet to cover their modesty but he continued into the room anyway and took a seat in the armchair near the bed.

"I hate to break you two up, but we need to start planning what we're going to do. The others are just finishing up pooling our research downstairs, I said I'd come up and get you. But it was actually because I wanted to talk to you first and to meet Mr. Jones properly," The Doctor said. Ianto didn't quite know how to respond to that so he just glanced back at Jack who chuckled. The Doctor held out his hand and the younger man took it and shook it firmly.

"It's nice to meet you Mr. Jones,"

"Ianto, and it's nice to meet you too Doctor," Ianto replied politely feeling a wave of thanks from Jack.

"Well it's not every day I get to meet the man Captain Jack Harkness settles down for," The Doctor grinned as both men froze in surprise.

"How?" Jack asked confused.

"Arabella let the cat out of the bag while she was tearing into your team, they're a little outspoken aren't they?"

"I told you we're nothing like the other Torchwoods," Jack shrugged.

"I see that now." The Doctor replied before leaning back and looking at the couple in front of him

"You could have told me Jack."

"I was working up to it," Jack replied evasively.

"You told Martha."

"Not in so many words, she connected the dots all on her own," Jack sighed trying not to meet the Time Lord's eyes.

"I'm happy for you Jack. Both of you," The Doctor said with a smile climbing to his feet. "I'll let you get up and dressed we'll wait for you down stairs, before we start the plans," and with that he quietly left the room with its two occupants.


	8. Chapter 7

The Doctor had just disappeared upstairs when there was a knock at the front door breaking the static silence that had swamped the room. Arabella was on the phone in the next room talking to a contact; Dexter looked up from where he was typing on his laptop.

"Can one of you get the door,"

"Won't they just ask for you?" Owen asked.

"I know who it is, just let them in," Dexter replied not looking up again from his work. Owen rolled his eyes but none the less made his way to the door and opened it to see three familiar faces staring at him.

"Oh you're still here," Zenia replied blankly.

"Oh you're back," Owen replied in the same tone.

"Cute," Zenia muttered as she made her way into the house, followed by Andre and Ifan.

"How'd you go?" Dexter asked.

"None of my contacts know anything about the Master, other than what we already know which wasn't much help," Ifan shrugged taking a seat.

"MI5 has been watching him closely since he stepped into the spotlight 18 months ago, they have tabs on his every movements, the only problem is it looks like he had someone on the inside because there are some very specific holes in the information." Zenia explained.

"He has someone in MI5? That's not good, with the amount of screening and tests all agents go through..." Tosh said trailing off, they all got the message: for him to have someone on the inside of MI5 was like having someone in this room as a double agent. His grip over things was even stronger than they thought.

"Andre got the best piece of information," Zenia said and all eyes turned to the quiet man standing in the corner. He threw a glare in Zenia's direction obviously hating to be the centre of attention before tossing a large rolled up piece of paper, that no one had noticed he'd being carrying, onto the coffee table.

"What is it?" Martha asked curiously.

"Open it," Ifan said with a smile. Martha stepped forward and unrolled the paper on the coffee table, Gwen holding the other end so it couldn't roll back on itself.

"Blueprints," Tosh said eyes widening.

"Not just any blueprints, the final blueprints to the Valiant, as signed off on by Harold Saxon himself." Zenia said.

"That will come in handy," Dexter said coming over to look at the plans.

------------------------------------------

The Doctor bounded back down the stairs and into the lounge room where he came face to face with a serious face he hadn't seen in a few years.

"Andre, haven't seen you in a while, when was it France 1902?"

"1904. Good to see we have some extra help,"

"You're the last person I expected to see here, what with you being such a lone wolf and all that," The Doctor replied.

Andre snorted, eyes drifting further into the lounge where the Doctor spotted two more newcomers whom he didn't recognize.

"Who's this then?"

"Zenia Wolfe, and it's not what you think,"

"And the guy?"

"Ifan Pryce."

"Pirask I'm assuming, and judging by the surname they're not married. Mated?" The Doctor asked curiously.

"Not yet," Andre muttered.

The Doctor looked at him briefly before wisely letting the topic drop.

"Is there a chance?" Andre asked, voice low so the humans in the room couldn't hear him

"There's a chance," The Doctor replied before turning his attention further into the room, "Dexter can I speak with you for a moment; Privately."

"Of course," Dexter replied standing and walking towards him. The other Pirask in the room nodded their heads briefly in silent agreement not to listen in on their conversation.

"You can stay here if you like, we'll move this into the dining room, and it will be easier to make plans on the bigger table where we can all fit around it." Arabella said picking up the diagram and the others took her lead following her out of the room.

------------------------------------------

Once the others had cleared the room Dexter turned to look at the Doctor expectantly.

"I have a plan; I'm not going to go into details because it's something Jack, Martha and I have to do on our own. But I need you to get the rest of the group somewhere safe, we can use Jack's teleport to get you there before we go to the Valiant," The Doctor said.

"You can't go there alone," Dexter argued.

"We have to. Is there somewhere secure you can go?" the Doctor pushed.

"Torchwood Three, Jack's Torchwood, their base is probably the most secure." Dexter sighed.

"We'll take you there; I need you ready as backup in case my plan fails. If it fails, Jack will be able to teleport out; hopefully he can get Martha out as well. Find them and help them."

Dexter didn't like this plan but he knew there was no way he could argue with the Time Lord once his mind was set. "Help them with what?"

"Ok, this is what you need to do..."

------------------------------------------

Jack and Ianto wandered down stairs to find the Doctor and Dexter with their heads together talking quietly in the lounge room. Ianto looked at them curiously for a moment but Jack took his hand and pulled him towards the kitchen where they could hear the others talking. The pair stood in the doorway silently watching the commotion for a moment as the group looked over the blueprints of the Valiant and discussed what had happened with the Master so far.

Andre's head came up first having caught their scent. He nodded briefly to the pair in greeting before lightly elbowing Zenia to get her attention. When she spotted the pair a grin broke across her face.

"Well well well, look what the cat dragged in," she said making her way around the table. Everyone's attention was now on the couple. Zenia pulled Jack into a tight hug which he easily returned. When they pulled apart she nudged Ianto "Bet you're glad to have him back."

Ianto just smiled at her ignoring the looks from the team as they eyed him curiously. Ifan looked up from the map he was studying and waved a greeting to Jack with a grin. Gwen, Owen and Tosh made their way towards their teammates, though Gwen stopped and hovered a little further back not sure how to treat the pair as she struggled with her own emotions.

Owen went to Ianto's side and looked at him closely "How do you feel?"

"Better than I have in a long time," Ianto grinned.

Owen's nose screwed up a little in response before glancing at Jack, "I'm never going to understand you Harkness."

Jack grinned "Good, I wouldn't want to spoil my mysterious quality."

Owen rolled his eyes shaking his head, though a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

Tosh stepped forward to hug Ianto "I was so worried about you."

"I'm fine, I promise," Ianto replied hugging her back and exchanging a smile with Jack over her head. Jack noticed Dexter and the Doctor make their way back into the room through the other door.

"Right so, what's the plan, what info have we got, fill us in." Jack said clapping his hands and seizing control of the room in a way that only Jack could. Everyone began filling them in on what was happening, what information Zenia, Ifan and Andre had gathered, what Dexter knew from his Coven members and what the Doctor knew of the Master's ways. Jack and Ianto instantly fell into the planning with the others and if the Torchwood team noticed Ianto's more active participation they chose not to comment on it.

------------------------------------------

Ianto sat on the bench in front of the house, it was almost time; soon they would Teleport back to the Hub and Jack, Martha and the Doctor would continue on to the Valiant. He didn't want to be around the others right now and especially not around the Doctor, the man every one of them thought was so brilliant with his plans and magnetic personality.

But all he could think about was the hurt he felt rolling off of Jack earlier in bed, a hurt created by a man that meant so much to him, telling him he was wrong.

"Penny for your thoughts," Ianto turned slightly smiling up at his mate, he could see every detail of his face even in this dull light.

"I'd drain your bank account," Ianto smiled. Jack took a seat beside him on the bench weaving his fingers through Ianto's and holding their hands together on his thigh.

"You're different," Ianto whispered glancing down at their hands.

"Not much, just a little cling y, I went to the end of the universe and you know what I saw? People, living, loving and something the Doctor said, not intentionally mind you made me think. No matter how long I can keep you with me. I might still be there at the end of the universe... alone."

"You're not alone now, nor will you be for a long time, not if I can help it."

"I know... and that will sink in and I'll lose the clingyness again, but for now just let it be."

"I wasn't complaining, just making an observation," Ianto replied and the pair fell into comfortable silence.  
Ianto stared up at the stars and briefly wondered what they looked like at the end of the universe. Jack stared at Ianto from the corner of his eye, he knew something was bothering the young Welshman but he couldn't work out what part of their situation it was or whether it was everything piled together.

"So do I actually need to find a Penny?" Jack asked finally and Ianto smirked finally taking his eyes off the sky.

"Well most of my thoughts are on what I can do to The Doctor, but since I've already served him bad tea with a dash of... well actually you don't want to know, and while I knew it wouldn't kill him it's given him a nice little side effect of hiccups, it's quelled my need to do anything to him for a while."

Jack burst out laughing, "That was you? He's been furious that none of his normal tricks have worked to get rid of them."

Ianto just smirked in reply.

"So what else is bothering you?" Jack asked the amusement still tingeing his voice.

"I don't like the plan; you going to the valiant with only the Doctor and Martha. Dexter and the Doctor keeping secrets. The Doctor having a plan to expose the Master to the world but he won't even tell us the details. The Master is powerful and it looks like he has UNIT under his control not to mention almost the entire world loving him, who's to say he can't turn that love into worship or fear?"

"Ianto the Doctor might be a magnet for trouble but he always gets us out and we'll get out of this and be home in time for lunch."

"He doesn't always get you out. You've died for him, you may have come back, but you still died..." Ianto replied quietly.

"That was my choice though," Jack replied though the response sounded weak even to his own ears.

"What about Rose Tyler, did she choose it?" Ianto growled and instantly regretted it as he saw Jack flinch.

"I don't know for sure, but I know her, she would have risked it for him" Jack whispered.

"Why? What makes him so special that you'd all die for him?" Ianto hissed.

Jack stared at the stars for a moment and he really couldn't really think of an answer that Ianto would like so he gave him the only one he could.

"The Doctor would lay his life down to save whoever he can, whether it be a single person or a whole species. All his companions or ex-companions I've met, he's saved us all that first meeting, then many times after that while we travel with him. After watching him risk himself so many times for so many others, what right do we have not to repay the favor every once in a while."

"You've repaid your favor, why should you have to do it again?" Ianto asked.

"Ianto I can't die, I..."

"But you can be hurt." Ianto interrupted.

Jack sighed turning Ianto's face towards him, "I will come back, I promise and we can have dinner with Ari and Dex and lots more reunion sex in our room."

"You knew about 'our' room?"

"Ari asked me first, I wanted to surprise you," Jack replied rubbing his thumb gently across Ianto's cheek.

"I was pleasantly surprised, so don't worry." Ianto replied leaning forward to kiss Jack gently before pulling away and looking the older man straight in the eye "But if anything goes wrong up there. I swear, I will come and save you. No matter what."


	9. Chapter 8

Zenia and Andre walked down several white washed halls with Ifan between them.

Zenia and Andre nodded greetings to fellow agents and threw the odd salute where appropriate trying to disguise the fact that were escorting a civilian through the halls of MI5 without permission. They'd made it half way to their destination before three burly looking guards stepped out and stopped them.

"Agent Wolfe, Agent Boswell. I'm afraid I can't let you go any further. This man has not been identified nor cleared to enter the building, I'm going to have to take him into custody," one announced as the other two stepped forward to arrest Ifan.

"He's an informant of ours, we've brought him in to identify some information and equipment for us," Zenia bluffed.

"I'm sorry ma'am but we have our orders."

"So do we," Andre muttered and in a move that was almost to fast for the guards to see he knocked them unconscious with a quick effective blow to the head.

"Was that really necessary?" Ifan asked

"It was faster. How much time have we got?" Andre replied as the trio stepped over the men and continued down the hall at a faster pace eager to get to their destination before they were tracked down.

"It's 7.40," Ifan replied looking down at his watch.

"20 minutes, we need to hurry," Zenia replied and they easily broke into a run.

-----------------------------------------------

The Teleport back to Dexter's house was a lot smoother now that his Manipulator was only carrying one person like it was meant to. Jack barely felt the change his body automatically adjusting to the shift, something learnt through years of practice when he was a time agent.

Jack stared at the empty space in front of him for a moment before looking up at the Doctor.

"Are you sure about this Doc? Going up there just the three of us?" he asked. The Doctor stared back for a moment not saying anything. "It'll only take a second to go back and get them. My team is good Doctor they'd be an asset."

"Jack I don't know whether this will work on not. You can look after yourself and between the two of us we can protect Martha, but any more people than that and we're risking lives."

"Then why are we taking Martha?" Jack asked.

"Because she's a part of this just by knowing me; she'll be in more danger if we leave her behind where Saxon can get her without us in his way. Saxon doesn't know your team is alive, there's no point waving them in front of his nose when we may need them as our backup," The Doctor replied running his hand through his hair in frustration.

"Is it time?" Martha asked coming out of the house and locking the door behind her.

The Doctor's demeanor automatically changed, "ready to go save the world Martha Jones?" The Doctor asked rocking onto the balls of his feet.

Jack watched the Doctor cover up his emotions so flawlessly it was hard to remember the sober man who had been standing with him a moment earlier.

"Ready to save my Family," Martha nodded in agreement squaring her shoulders and looking the Doctor straight in the eye.

"Then let's get to it," The Doctor replied ignoring the look his old friend was giving him. Martha didn't need to know how worried he really was, Jack knew and in response he knew Jack would stay close to her if he couldn't. The two men locked eyes for a brief moment as Martha and the Doctor's hand were placed on Jack's Vortex manipulator, and in that glance a silent vow was made, even if they failed they would protect Martha and get her out of there somehow.

-----------------------------------------------

Ianto paced across the hub floor, they'd been dropped off 20 minutes ago, after Jack had quickly teleported Zenia, Andre and Ifan to MI5 in hopes they could work something from their end. The TV broadcast would begin any minute now and that was their only link to find out what was happening on the Valiant.

Everyone in the room was anxious and no one liked this plan, Dexter was the only one who seemed even the slightest bit calm as he sat on the couch watching everything with a close eye.

"Now what?" Owen asked eyeing Arabella and Dexter who to the rest of the team seemed a little too comfortable in the hub.

"Ifan, Zenia and Andre said they'd message us if anything changes. The broadcast will start soon and then we see which of the Doctor's plans will work," Dexter replied sipping the tea Arabella had made him.

"What plans?" Gwen asked but Dexter merely raised an eyebrow at her and didn't answer.

"Tell us Dexter," Ianto said voice sounding surprisingly like Jack's when he gave an order that needed to be obeyed. Dexter and Ianto stared at each other for a moment as if they were having a private conversation, though not a telepathic word was exchanged nor was it needed. Arabella glanced between the two of them knowing that Ianto would never consider challenging Dexter or his authority, just like she never would though they were both willing to push him on topics when he needed.

Only Jack would challenge the older Pirask and he wasn't here to do so. The only way they'd get the information was if Dexter decided on his own that it was the right thing to do.

Dexter glanced around the room at everyone before he placed his tea on the coffee table in front of him and looked up again and began to explain the Doctor's plans.

-----------------------------------------------

_"...And look it's the girly and the freak..."  
_

Tosh jumped slightly in surprise as a soft growl erupted from Ianto's throat and her eyes flew to his face.

"Sorry," he whispered reaching out to take her hand and squeeze it lightly, though his eyes never left the screen. Tosh's attention was forced back to the screen as she heard Jack cry out in pain and he collapsed to the ground dead. Ianto quickly lurched away from the group to the closest waste paper bin where he promptly emptied his stomach. Gwen and Owen stared at him in surprise where he now knelt on the ground trembling. Tosh scrambled from her seat to his side, Arabella taking his other side as he continued to retch into the bin. Dexter gave Ianto a worried looked but quickly turned his attention back to the screen knowing at least one of them needed to he watching to see what was happening.

Ianto knelt trembling by the bin, he could feel Arabella and Tosh on either side of him talking quietly to him and rubbing his back soothingly but it wasn't helping the feeling of Jack's death shocked him so hard it was making him sick. His stomach was a twisted mess of knots and nausea and his head felt like it was splitting in two.

"Ianto come on, can you stand?" Tosh coaxed though her voice sounded fuzzy as if she was talking to his through a wall of glass. Ianto managed to pull his legs underneath him, but there was no strength in them to push himself up. Arabella sensed this and moved behind Ianto placing her hands under his arms, she easily lifted him to his feet and helped him to the closest chair.

"Are you OK?" Arabella asked but every one's attention was drawn back to the screen as the Doctor began to scream.

"No I'm not. What's happening?" Ianto asked slumping in the chair feeling too weak to even sit up properly.

"The Masters using some sort of aging device on the Doctor." Dexter replied voice tight in fury.

"Jack and Martha?" Arabella asked,

"We can't see them, they're out of the camera's view," Gwen replied biting her lip nervously. The Doctor continued to scream and wither on the TV when Ianto gasped.

"Ianto?" Tosh asked

Ianto sighed with a little relief, slowly straightening up, all his pain and discomfort was fading and his strength was slowly returning. Jack had revived and Ianto could feel him once again, he sent soothing waves out to his Mate knowing the discomfort and pain he went through when he came back to life.

"Jack's back," Ianto replied.

"How do you know that?" Owen asked eyeing Ianto with a medical eye and considering whether he needed to hall the younger man down to the medical bay and check him over.

"I can feel it." Ianto asked eyes moving back to the screen as Martha crawled to the Doctor's side and took him into her arms.

_"So Earthlings! Basically um... End of the World. Here Come The Drums."  
_

-----------------------------------------------

The hub broke into chaos, at the same time as the world did. One screen showed the TV feed, camera's forgotten showed a crooked image of the Doctor whispering in Martha's ear, she looked sad and terrified as he told her what she'd need to do. Another screen showed the tear in the sky the system trying to analyze how it was even possible. Tosh, tears streaming down her face, worked hard on her computer trying to find gather the stats they need on the Toclafane and the chaos they were causing around they world as they took out one tenth of the population.

Owen held a struggling Gwen, trying to get the syringe into her arms to sedate her as she screamed and squirmed trying to run from the hub to find Rhys, to save him, or even find out if he was still alive.

Dexter paced the floor talking hurriedly on his phone to the Coven members trying to organize the Pirask, protect them from what was happening and what would happen in the time to come.

Arabella repeatedly dialed her house phone, Pete's work and his mobile, sobs shaking her body as all the phones continued to go unanswered.

Trying to control his shaking Ianto moved around the hub, locking it down with them inside, Myfanwy was secured in her nest and all the doors were locked and completely sealed. They'd remain that way until he entered the correct code into his PDA. It was only way they had a chance of surviving this. There was nothing any of them could do to help the people above them, the people they swore to protect from aliens. And now they were helpless as an alien tore apart their world above them.

-----------------------------------------------

"Valiant - this is Geneva! We're getting slaughtered down here. Valiant report. Help us. For god's sake help us!"

"This is London – Valiant -This is London. What do we do? They're killing us. The Toclafane, they're killing us!"

And that song continued to play through the networks around the world, even if he'd switched it off on the Valiant, everyone else could still hear it.

**So here it comes - the sound of drums.  
Here comes the drums, here comes the drums**


	10. Chapter 9

An hour after they began the killings the Toclafane stopped; they hovered in the air above the buildings, dancing around as if proud of themselves. They stayed above leaving the survivors to run around in fear and shock. If someone was brave or crazy enough to try and attack the deadly globes was the only time they would interfere with the survivors of their onslaught, and they were dealt with quickly and painfully.

The Televisions were a blur, every station had been shut down and so there were no more images from the Valiant. The Hub was quiet no one knew what to say so they all sat staring into space, white as ghosts. Gwen was stretched out on the couch still under sedation; Owen sat on the ground beside her arms wrapped around his knees as he stared at the coffee table in front of him. Ianto sat on the floor with Toshiko wrapped tightly in his arms her face buried in his shirt. Arabella had taken herself up to Myfanwy's nest where she could be alone and Dexter stood in the middle of the hub, leaning against the dry base of the water tower where he could keep an eye on them all.

Dexter's mobile ringing broke the silence and everyone from their thoughts.

"What?" Dexter answered, voice croaky.

'MI5's lost, the attacks seemed random at first but they definitely had specific targets all of the higher command are gone. There's only a handful of agents left, 6 of them are ours as well as the secretaries, techs and other lower staff. But there's no one left to run the organization, everyone's gone to ground, going home to their families.' Zenia explained.

"Kyna?" Dexter asked.

'I...Ifan's gone to look for her.'

Dexter sighed hoping the young girl would be ok, "When he gets back I want you and the other Pirask agents that are there to go to the museum and stay there in hiding until it's safer to travel. I'll contact you ok."

'Alright.'

"Zenia, is Andre there?"

'Hang on' Zenia replied and there was a slight shuffling sound as she passed the phone on.

'Dexter' Andre said in greeting.

"I've asked Zenia to do a task for me, it'll help her centre and focus. But I need you to do something for me too, check on Peter, he should have been at work, Arabella can't get in contact with him, then find Martha Jones, she transported to McKenzie's Field just out side of the city, you should be able to trace her scent from there. Once you've found her bring her here."

'It's not exactly safe to be walking around out there, especially if she's escaped from the Master, they'll be after her.'

"I know which is why I'm asking you. Martha has a device that should render her near invisible to the Toclafane and you're the only one of us who can travel without being noticed. Please Andre."

'I'll leave as soon as possible.'

"Thank you," Dexter signed as he hung up the phone.

---------------------------------------------

Gwen groaned as she sat up on the couch her neck protesting slightly from resting at an odd angle. Owen sat beside her looking pale as he nursed a mug of coffee

"What the hell did you do to me?"

"Sedated you before you got yourself killed, only I didn't have time to measure it out properly so you got more than I planned, not dangerous just knocked you out longer that's all."

"How much longer?" Gwen growled.

"About 4 hours, give or take," Owen shrugged.

"Give or take?!"

"Four and a half, maybe five."

"Owen! I..."

Gwen was about to retort when a pained groan drew both their attention to Ianto as he collapsed to his knees gasping.

"Shit not again," Owen swore jumping up and rushing to the younger man's side.

"I'm fine," Ianto hissed out weakly swatting Owen away from him

"You're not fine, this is the twelfth time already."

"What's wrong with him?" Gwen asked temporarily forgetting her anger as she watched worriedly from the couch as Dexter lifted Ianto to his feet and moved him into a chair where Owen began checking his pulse.

"Nothing," Ianto hissed.

"It's obviously something Ianto," Tosh said gently.

Ianto looked up and exchanged a pained glance with Dexter before looking down again.

"I'll be fine, there's nothing you can do to help and it won't kill me," Ianto muttered.

"Is it a Pirask thing?" Owen asked directing the question to Dexter knowing Ianto was too stubborn to answer him.

"Sort of. Just leave it Owen," Dexter said voice sounding tired just like the rest of them, the underlining message begging Owen to let it drop.

Gwen stared around the room, trying to take in what had happened while she'd been unconscious. Then why she'd been unconscious came back to her. Giving Ianto one last glance to make sure he wasn't dying she moved towards the door. This time it was Tosh who jumped up to get in her way.

"What are you doing Gwen, you can't go outside they'll kill any of us on sight."

"Rhys is out there. I have to save him," Gwen argued moving to step around Tosh only to have Owen grab her arm again.

"Rhys is fine; we got him on the mobile before the phone network was shut down. He's making his way to the Plass, then we'll bring him down here."

"You can't have him walking around out there on his own, who knows what they'll do to him,"

"People have been moving around out there for the past few hours, as long as they don't cause problems and do as they're told they won't be hurt,"

"I'm going out to get him," Gwen argued.

"You can't, the Master thinks you're all dead, we're going to need the element of surprise later, if you go out there now we'll lose that and you'll all be set up as primary targets," Dexter replied.

"I don't care. I'm going after him." Gwen argued pushing past them all and heading for the door, she was cut off however as Arabella was suddenly in front of her silver eyes glittering dangerously.

The ringing slap that she dealt Gwen caught everyone by surprise and had the welsh woman stepping back to regain her balance.

"Ari," Ianto questioned voice strained from the pain he was still suffering.  
Arabella cast a look to Ianto and Dexter warning them not to step in and interfere.

"What?" Gwen asked eyes wide as she stared in shock at the furious woman.

"Stop being so bloody self absorbed and get a bit of perspective." Arabella hissed, Dexter stepped forward and rested his hands on her shoulders telepathically urging her to calm down.

"No, it's time she learnt. All I've heard is 'her this', 'her that'. We're all here too, we're all suffering, it's not just her." Arabella retorted to angry to keep her side of the conversation telepathic.

She grabbed Gwen and spun her around, one arm tightly around her waist pinning her hands to her sides and back to Arabella's body. Her other arm came up to hold Gwen's chin.

Gwen bucked in the Pirask's arms but Arabella's grip didn't move an inch.  
"No you're going to look at your colleagues while I talk to you, really look at them for once. Jack hired you to bring a heart to this team only from what I've seen you don't even take into account their hearts, only your own and the poor fools you try and help."

Arabella moved Gwen's head in Tosh direction, the tired genius was now sitting beside Ianto, rubbing his back in comfort.

"Tosh has spent the last three and a half hours, listening to emergency channels, radio frequencies and such. We needed her to gather all the information she could before the communications were cut and now she's collating it so we can come up with a plan. Listening to people cry out for help and knowing we can't help them, not yet."

Tosh kept her eyes down not enjoying the attention that had been drawn to her. Ianto squeezed her hand gently offering her a little comfort in return.

Arabella turned Gwen's eyes to Owen who had moved to one of the chairs nearby, attention shifting between Ianto and Gwen. Gwen finally took in his appearance, instead of the outfit he'd been wearing earlier he was dressed in scrubs, scrubs that were covered in dry blood.

"Down in the living area of the hub there are now 14 victims of the Toclafane, Owen and Dexter pulled them into the hub from the invisible lift after the attacks, Owen's been patching up victims who've been torn apart by the Toclafane's blades. Dexter helped as much as he could, but those people down there are now in Owen's care some of them will make it, but will need constant care. Some have already died."

Next Gwen was turned around to face Dexter who was still standing beside Arabella. The man looked exhausted and older than he was (as far as Gwen knew).

"Dexter's god daughter is missing, there is no sign of her anywhere, Kyna's not a Pirask so there's a chance she didn't survive the first attack. Zenia is her mother, a mother who's possibly lost a daughter. Dexter now needs to take in the Pirask's situation, see if the Master finds out about just one of us, we're dead. He'll know how to kill us and it's Dexter's job as leader to keep us safe. Only his rule spreads across the whole planet, not just the UK. It's a big job for one man, but he doesn't have a choice."

Now Gwen was spun back around to face Ianto who was being helped to his feet by Owen and Tosh as he slowly regained his strength once more.

"Did you know Pirask mate for life? We form a bond with our mate where we can feel them, talk to them and share their emotions. I've seen the way you look at Jack, but he won't have you. He has a mate. A Pirask mate who can be with him for a very long time. Every time he's tortured and killed up on the Valiant his mate has to feel it, a crippling pain from having his mate torn away from him by death," Arabella hissed.

The three humans stared at Ianto in shock as he threw Arabella an annoyed look.

"When the Toclafane attacked, half of the attacks were targeted, they took out anyone of any importance, royals, government, military officials, police chiefs. They took out all the leaders, leaving the world lost and confused. But they needed to make up the numbers, one tenth just like the Master ordered so they killed people at random. They killed Peter, my husband, while he was walking to work, he wasn't anything special just an accountant, but I loved him and now he's gone. Torn apart by those monsters."

Arabella spun Gwen around to face her, tears were running down Gwen's face but Arabella didn't stop, she was too hurt and bitter to care about harming the other woman's feelings.

"So Gwen Cooper, you can cry and whine and fight all you want. But think about this, while you're going on about your boyfriend who's perfectly safe and making his way here where we can protect him, we're actually suffering, quietly around you. Start acting like the heart of the team and care about your friends!" with that Arabella released Gwen and took off into the depths of the hub, Dexter giving chase.

Gwen slowly turned sinking to her knees as she faced the rest of the team not knowing what to say.

"Ianto is it true?" Tosh asked quietly.

"Is what true?" Ianto replied with a sigh.

"You and Jack?"

"Yes, he's my mate," Ianto replied smiling slightly at the soft 'squee' that slipped past Tosh's lips as she hugged him.

"And the pain? The sickness?" Owen asked,

"I feel it, every time Jack is tortured and killed up there," Ianto replied voice cracking slightly.

"Oh god, we have to get him out of there." Gwen gasped.

"We will, but there's nothing we can do right now. He'll be ok, he has to be," Ianto replied the last bit coming out as a whisper.

"And you?" Owen asked.

"I'll survive," Ianto replied bluntly.

The team sat in an awkward silence for a while none of them were really sure what to say to the others, until the silence was broken by a soft beeping from Tosh's computer.

"What is it?" Owen asked as Tosh jumped to her feet to check the alert.

"There's a woman up near the Tourist office, she's pounding on the door and yelling. I can't get any audio, she's too far from the camera." Tosh explain as the others climbed to their feet to look at the screen.

"Who is she?" Owen asked.

"I don't know," Tosh replied.

"I do, she's my twin sister," Ianto said staring at the screen in confusion.

"You have a twin sister?" Gwen asked softly in surprise.

"Her names Taffy," Ianto nodded.

"I assume she's looking for you then," Owen said patting the younger man on the back.

"Ianto, you better hurry, her yelling has attracted the Toclafane's attention and they look like they're about to swoop," Tosh said zooming the camera out so they could see the Toclafane as they began to twirl and extend their blades.


	11. Chapter 10

No one needed to say anything more. Ianto was already on the move, dashing through the blast doors as they rolled open.

He let the Rask spread throughout his body as he headed for the stairs increasing his speed, knowing the lift would just slow him down. Taking small leaps he managed to take the stairs ten at a time, he could hear the others chasing after him and someone hit the button for the lift. He just hoped he got there before the Toclafane decided to swoop.

----------------------------------------

Taffy stumbled through the streets of Cardiff; she was exhausted physically and emotionally. She'd walked all the way from their house across town because she was in no fit state to drive, not when she was in so much pain and doubling over in tears every few yards. Looking down she could see the blood that still covered her clothes and sobbed brokenly.

She needed Ianto. There were other family members that were closer, but they weren't her brother and right now she needed him more than anything. She rounded the corner and saw the door to his dusty little tourist office. Sobbing with relief she dashed down the boardwalk to the door where she found it was locked. She knew the tourist office was only a front room and that somewhere behind it was where Ianto did his real work with the government, whatever that was. She began pounding on the door hoping that some one would hear her.

After a few minutes her hands began to ache and her voice was getting hoarse from yelling. There was a metallic sounding giggle behind her and Taffy froze in fear turning slowly to see three orbs hovering nearby.

"Silly Human."

They began to rotate their blades already extended as the hovered until they surrounded her.

"Noisy Human."

Taffy closed her eyes in fear knowing what was coming next.

"Dead Human."

So when she was grabbed from behind and yanked backward she couldn't help crying out in shock. Her eyes flew open in time to see the tourist door slam closed on the orbs outside. A strong arm was wrapped around her waist holding her close as her brother's voice spoke in her ear.

"It's alright Taf I've got you," he said pulling her across the tourist shop. He turned her to face what she knew had been a wall last time she was here, but was currently a slightly ajar secret door. They rushed through it and Ianto slammed his hand down on some sort of panel on the other side causing the door to swing shut and seal just before they heard the orbs break through the tourist office door to find a now empty room.

----------------------------------------

Ianto winced slightly as he glanced through the spy hole watching as the Toclafane tore apart his tourist office in frustration at their 'prey' escaping. He let his head rest against the cool door as he signed in relief, that had been way to close. Hearing the elevator arrive at their floor he turned to look at his sister who was sitting on the floor shaking and noticed for the first time that she was covered in blood.

"Taffy?" Ianto asked dropping beside her scanning her for any injuries. Hearing footsteps coming their way he looked up to see Owen exiting the lift and he silently thanked the man for having the forethought to grab his medical kit on the way.

"Owen, help," Ianto called and the doctor instantly broke into a run, skidding to a stop and dropping to his knees beside them.

Owen scanned her body the same way Ianto had earlier but found no sign of a major injury. There was a gash on her left arm but there was no way all the blood had come from that injury, there was just too much of it.

"Sweetheart I'm a doctor, I need you to tell me where you're hurt," Owen said gently.

The new voice seemed to snap Taffy out of her thoughts as she stared at the stranger.

"I'm not hurt," she replied though her eyes had now drifted to Tosh and Gwen as they rushed over from the stairwell completely out of breath.

"Taf, you're covered in blood," Ianto whispered and she turned tears streaked eyes towards him.

"It's Venn's. They came after me and he jumped in front of me. They killed him and we were knocked back, he landed on top of me. I couldn't slip out from under him at first, I never realized how big and heavy he was," she whispered in shock before breaking down in her brother's arms. Ianto let a few of his own tears fall, tears for his sister and the horror she'd been through and tears for the brother-in-law he'd nearly had. The other three stood silently watching on as Ianto rocked his sister in his arms as she cried until she passed out.

No one knew how long they'd been there but once Owen saw she was unconscious he stepped forward to check her vitals.

"Come on, let's get her downstairs. She'll be safer there and more comfortable, then I'll stitch that arm up for her," he said, hand resting on Ianto's shoulder. Ianto nodded glancing briefly at the other's as his eyes turned silver and he easily scooped Taffy up into his arms and they all headed back downstairs.

----------------------------------------

Ianto followed his nose through the depths of the hub until he finally located Arabella and Dexter curled up together on the cushions in his training room. Arabella had fallen into an exhausted sleep, Dexter's shirt still wet from her tears. Dexter lay wide-awake staring at the ceiling deep in thought, looking haggard and ready to pass out himself.

"How is she?" Ianto asked quietly taking a seat next to them, gently brushing Arabella's hair behind her ear so he could see her face.

"She'll be ok. As miserable and bitter as this is going to sound, he's not the first lover or husband she's lost."

"Doesn't make it any easier though." Ianto replied.

"No, it never gets easier, but at least we have each other."

"Like I have Jack,"

"We will get him out of there," Dexter said looking at his young friend.

"I know, but right now it's too dangerous. Even for us. Jack understands"

"Can you talk to him?" Dexter asked in surprise

"Not yet, just feelings, sometimes I can push an idea or image to him if I concentrate." Ianto explained.

"How is he?" Dexter asked

"Angry, in pain, scared. A bit for himself but mainly for us, and The

Doctor and Martha. When will she get here?" Ianto asked.

"She's not coming." Dexter replied

"What?!" Ianto blurted a little louder than he meant to and was promptly hit in the face with a pillow.

Arabella blearily peered up at him, pillow still in hand, "A girl just can't get a decent sleep anymore," She muttered.

Dexter lent down pressing a kiss to her head causing her to snuggle closer into his chest in reply.

----------------------------------------

Taffy's eyes slowly drifted open to stare up at a curved tiled ceiling that reminded her of the old subway stations. Her arm felt weird, almost numb and she moved it so she could see the clean bandage wrapped around it. Moving her eyes back to the ceiling and down the wall it took her mind a moment longer to wake up and take in the word painted across the tiles.

She jumped up in shock from the couch she'd been placed on spinning around in a circle to take in the huge dank area she was in, surrounded by weird things and not a person in sight.

Where was she? What happened? She'd been on her way to see Ianto. No... She'd found Ianto, he'd taken her into his base. But that meant.... Taffy turned back to stare at the writing on the wall. Torchwood?!

----------------------------------------

"What's happened to Martha?" Ianto asked again

"It was too dangerous to get her here so Andre lead her to the others. Martha, Zenia, Ifan, Jean and Dysis have started off on her mission." Dexter explained.

"Ah yes the Doctor mission collect pieces of a fake gun which is actually a futuristic pesticide which fell through the rift a few months back. While she tells people about him. What good's that going to do?" Ianto snorted.

"It's part of his plan, it's bound to be for something even if we don't know what it is." Arabella replied.

"How can you have so much faith in him?" Ianto asked suddenly feeling exhausted.

"I've seen him work miracles to save people before," Dexter replied.

"At the cost of those who trust him,"

"Ianto..." Arabella began only to be cut off.

"Leave it Ari; it doesn't matter. Why didn't Andre go with them he never leaves Zenia's side,"

"We have no idea, it surprised us too, all he said was he could be more use with us. He's on his way here, but it will take him a little bit of time to get here by foot and it's the safest way for him to travel." Dexter explained.

Ianto's earpiece chirped and he reach up to activate it as Tosh's voice filled his ear.

"Ianto, where are you? I can't find you on the scans, I was beginning to worry. Taffy's awake and freaking out a little, she's demanding to see you."

"Sorry Tosh I'm deep in the hub's depths I don't think the scan goes down here. I'll be there in a few minutes." Ianto replied before switching his com back off

"Taffy? As in your sister Taffy?" Arabella asked and Ianto looked up, meeting her silver eyes in amusement.

"Curious much?" Ianto smirked watching her eyes go back to their normal brown colour.

Ianto got to his feet and held his hand out to Arabella "Come and meet my sister?"

"I'd love to," she replied taking his hand.

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Ianto made his way into the main area of the hub followed by Arabella and Dexter what he saw when he got their made him want to laugh and wince at the same time. Taffy was standing there with his hockey stick (where had he left that?) backed into the doorway by the couch. Owen and Gwen both with their hands up like they were approaching a spooked child, tried to edge closer to her but when they got too close Taffy would take swing at them while Tosh was trying to talk to her calmly.

"I don't care who you are! I want to know where the hell I am and what's going on? Where's Ianto? I want my brother!" Taffy hissed reminding Ianto of a trapped cat.

Owen tried to grab the hockey stick only to have it whacked across his shin. "I get that you're a doctor and you tried to help me earlier but if you touch me again I'll break your hands."

Ianto frowned as they got closer to the others, still completely unnoticed, this wasn't like Taffy and he wondered briefly if she was still suffering from shock and Trauma from have Venn killed in front of her.

As they got closer Arabella decided it was time to draw the attention to them and spoke up. "I like her Ianto, she's feisty," instantly everyone's attention was on them. While Owen and Gwen were looking the other way Taffy threw down the hockey stick on the couch and easily pushed past them so she could run to Ianto. Ianto caught her as she threw herself into his arms, burying her face in his chest and trembling.

"Shh Taffy, you're safe now, nothings gonna hurt you. I won't let it." Ianto whispered rocking them both gently in a soothing motion.

"How? Those things are monsters. I saw the police shooting at them, not even a bullet could harm them! People tried everything but nothing worked they just kept killings us." Taffy whispered sobbing into her brother's chest.

"We'll beat them, just you wait and see and until then you'll stay here with us where you'll be safe." Ianto replied.

"I can't believe you work for bloody Torchwood," Taffy snorted face still buried in his shirt and Ianto grinned that was more like his little sister.

Pulling back and wiping her eyes Taffy finally looked Ianto in the face and gave him a small smile. For the moment managing to push the pain of loosing Venn to the back of her mind.

"Hi there squirt," Ianto teased.

"Don't start! Are you going to introduce me properly?" Taffy asked.

Owen snorted "Are you going to crack me with your brother's hockey stick again?"

"You don't play hockey," Taffy said looking back at Ianto who blushed slightly before clearing his throat and introducing Taffy to the team, Arabella and Dexter.


	12. Chapter 11

Jack groaned as he was brought awake by a bucket of water to the face. Not that he could really sleep while chained up in a boiler room, it was more an exhausted passing out after being killed so many times.

"Morning freak! Off to maim and terrorize so it'll be nice and simple this morning." Jack didn't look up until one of the guards grabbed him by the hair and forced him to look up at the Master. No, not the Master. Saxon. Jack refused to call him 'Master.'

-----------------------------------------------

The gunshot to the head was painful but over quickly, when he came to again Saxon and the guards were gone and he was once again alone in the boiler room.

One month. It had been one month since Saxon took over the world. One month of being killed on a daily basis, sometimes more than once a day if Saxon was bored or frustrated.

Feeling his strength slowing returning he reached his mind out to Ianto and waited for his mate to answer him. Over the last month they'd strengthened their bond by pushing to keep in contact with each other even though they were miles apart. He'd never heard of Pirask mates being able to communicate with each other over the massive distances so he was beginning to think it was something to do with his natural 51st century telepathic abilities combined with the Pirask bond.

He felt a warm presence fill his mind and he couldn't help the small smile that spread across his face.

_Hey Cariad, how are you doing?_

_Better, Saxon's off for the day but before he left he came for a visit. Bullet to the head, it heals quickly at least  
_  
A wave of angst drifted from Ianto and Jack winced, he knew how much Ianto hated him dying  
_  
Sorry Yan, I didn't mean to..._

_Don't worry about it Jack_

_How is everyone? _Jack asked hoping nothing had happened to any of the team.  
_  
Relax Jack, they're fine. All still alive. We're still underground in hiding, doing what we can from here and Saxon still doesn't know we're alive._

_Good, Ianto I..._

_I know Jack. We're gonna get you out soon, I promise._

_No, Ianto you can't, it's too dangerous._

_No point arguing Cariad.  
_  
Jack's link to Ianto snapped closed as his attention was drawn to footsteps coming his way.

One of Saxon's guards walked into the room pushing the Doctor in his wheelchair, it was the first time he'd seen the Time Lord in weeks.

"Thought you two'd like to see each other while his evilness is planet side." the guard said stopping the chair next to where Jack was chained.

"Who the hell are you?" Jack demanded wary of this new stranger,

"Marcas Lang. I'm an old, friend of Arabella and Dexter, as a matter of fact, I was at your wedding," he grinned.

Jack frowned searching his memory but not being able to put a face to all the people at his wedding to Arabella, so long ago.

"He's a Pirask Jack, stop worrying. Remember Dexter said he had a spy in Saxon's midst." The Doctor spoke, his voice hoarse with his sudden age. Jack winced at the reminder of what his friend had been put through not being able to look at the now ancient Time Lord as the room fell into an awkward silence.

"Jack why didn't you go with Martha," The Doctor asked breaking the silence after a while.

"I wasn't going to leave you here alone with that psycho." Jack replied looking up to meet his friends eyes, the same eyes he was used to seeing in a much younger face.

"He won't hurt me Jack, not completely. He'll play games with me but he'd never kill me. We've known each other too long; it's like a game to him. A game we've been playing for more years than you've been alive." The Doctor explained.

"Maybe it's time you ended the game then," Jack replied seriously.

"Maybe," The Doctor muttered.

"Have you heard from Dex or Ari?" Jack asked.

"Not since the communications were cut, it's a bit far for our telepathy up here," Marcas smiled.

"I guess," Jack muttered not willing to speak about his ability to talk to Ianto just in case.

The Doctor eyed Jack curiously realizing the Immortal man was hiding something.

"Jack promise me something," The Doctor said.

"What?" Jack asked curiously

"Promise me first," The Doctor replied

Jack tossed the Doctor a small glare but the Time Lord refused to budge.

"Fine, I promise," Jack sighed and Marcas couldn't hide the smile that crept across his face

"If you have a chance to escape from here. I want you to take it."

"Doctor I can't..."

"You promised me Jack and you can be more of a help to me down there, protecting people, helping Martha." Doctor replied.

A strangled sound drew both the men's attention towards Marcas.

The Pirask's eyes were wide with pain, blood trickling from his mouth due to the sword protruding from his chest.

There was a slick sound as the sword was removed and Marcas eyes rolled back as he slumped to the floor dead.

"No!" Jack growled yanking against his chains trying to get free.

"Now now handsome, wouldn't want you to damaged yourself, My Master will never forgive me if he comes home and finds you bleeding especially if he didn't cause it." The sinister blond woman smirked stepping out of the shadows and over Marcas' body.

She waved the sword still covered in Marcas' blood under Jack's nose making the captain flinch back away from it.

"Silver sword to the heart one of the few ways to kill a Pirask and not something anyone carries these days. I knew there had to be another on board, after all mates can't stay out of contact from each other for too long. It goes against all their instincts and the only way your mate could be in contact was if they were on this ship. All I had to do was wait and watch." She smirked

Jack and the Doctor exchanged a glance both realizing the same thing, that she thought Marcas was Jack's mate, meaning they could keep the others safe by playing along.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Jack replied letting all his rage at Saxon slip into his voice, trying to imagine how he would feel if it was Ianto she'd just killed and he was trying to cover it up.

The Doctor looked at his immortal companion proudly as he used all his old knowledge gained from being a con-man to play the woman before them so he could protect his true mate.

"I saw your tattoo when they put you in chains. My Master didn't know what it was till I explained it then he trusted me with the task of wiping your mate out. His little excursion today was all part of our plan to draw the pair of you into sight and I must say it worked like a charm." She smirked trailing a hand down Jack's cheek as he moved his head away from her in disgust tears slipping freely down his cheeks.

"Don't worry sweetheart, the bonding tattoo will fade in a day or two, but that pain you're feeling. That will last for a long time yet," She smirked.

"Bitch!" Jack hissed jerking in his chains.

"Just you wait handsome, you'll be calling me Mistress soon enough," she smirked.

"Never," Jack hissed.

"What your think my Master is really in love with some petty human? When he can be mated to a fine Pirask woman like me. Lucy's just a placeholder. Soon My Master and I will be together, he promised as soon as I've hunted down every last Covernt member and loyal Pirask on this mud ball there'll be nothing to stop us." She smirked.

"He's using you," The Doctor whispered.

"Be quiet you old fool," she snapped

"Why? Why betray your own people?" The Doctor asked,

"Because they betrayed me first. We could have been ruling this planet for years, but no, they're all happy to slink around in the shadows like ghosts. Not me, I walk in the light and all they can do is banish me for it."

"It goes against everything Dexter stands for in his leadership, of course they're gonna banish you for it," Jack sneered.

"He would have seen it my way. We were destined to be together, to be great. But he left me for that pathetic little servant girl and mated with her!" she spat with disgust.

"Well now I'm the one in power, I'm the one in control and I will have a better more powerful mate bond with My Master than he has will his little tramp. He'll regret the day he ever crossed me." She sneered. then gave a bitter little laugh "I even took on his names as a guise. Miss Dexter the troops call me. I do love a good irony. Of course that's not my real name, that would make things to easy for them," She said turning and kicking Marcas' body in disgust.

Jack growled at her in hatred as she signaled for the guards to take the Doctor away. Instead of turning the Doctor around they dragged him backwards so he could still see what was going on in the room.

"Speaking or irony." Miss Dexter said in a cheery voice. She spun back around and plunged the sword into Jack's chest.

"Killed by the same blade as your Mate. My Master will love that when I tell him," she smiled.

Jack looked over her shoulder to see the pained look the Doctor was giving him as he was dragged away a single tear slipping down his 'old' wrinkled cheek.

It was the last image Jack saw as his world faded to darkness.

-----------------------------------------------

Taffy watched as her brother ran out of the room to throw up. She was really worried about him, he kept getting sick and all the others would do is exchanged pained glances and leave him too it. This was the second time this morning alone.

"What's wrong with him Owen and why aren't you helping him," she growled at the medic.

"I can't do anything for him. We're all handling our trauma in different ways, Ianto's just manifests itself physically," Owen replied, not meeting her eyes. Taffy glared at the doctor, she may not have a medical degree but she knew when she was being fed a load of crap.

She turned to follow her brother but she stopped as she felt a small but strong hand take her arm.

"I'll go see to him, you finish learning the mainframe from Tosh," Gwen said giving her that kind gap toothed smile and Taffy nodded in assent before taking her seat beside Tosh again. Only half paying attention to what Tosh was saying as her mind stayed on her brother.

-----------------------------------------------

Gwen found Ianto leaning against one of the walls down the hallway breathing heavy, eyes screwed shut. She pulled the younger man into a hug and held him as the pain slowly subsided.

"You have to tell her soon."

"Not yet," Ianto replied shaking his head slightly.

"She's your twin Ianto, your sister and the only member of your family left."

"Yes, thank you for that reminder Gwen, I know. But she's not ready to know the truth." Ianto snapped pulling himself from her arms in annoyance.

"Look I know you kept it from her while she was dealing with Venn's death but she's doing so much better and she's worried sick about you," Gwen argued but Ianto ignored her, "Ianto I'm only trying to help, I've been looking after her for you while you've been working with the Pirask but we're running out of excuses to give her about you being sick or disappearing on missions when the rest of the team is at the hub because they're too dangerous for us to help."

"I know Gwen but I can't deal with that right now and I'm sorry but everyday longer he's up there it tears me apart. I can't take much more of this," Ianto replied whispering the last part brokenly.

"We all hate leaving Jack up there, it's killing me to do it and I know the others feel the same... but from what Ari's told us it must be nothing compared to what you go through; I just wish we could help somehow." Gwen replied staring up at Ianto. Ianto sighed and pressed a kiss to her forehead. It's funny how people and relationships can change when you live through hell together everyday.

"He won't have to deal with this anymore," came a new voice and the pair turned to see Dexter standing just down the hall from them, "we have everything and we're ready ahead of schedule. We're heading out tomorrow to save Jack and the Doctor."


	13. Chapter 12

Jack stared at the high ranking guard who walked in with his tray of food "Where's Tish?" Jack asked fear tingling his voice for the young Jones girl.

"After your little stunt yesterday everyone's under lock and key; The Master decides what your punishment should be."

"But they had nothing to do with it." Jack argued.

"Actually Tish and her mother stole the keys to the Doctor's leg-iron so he could be brought here," The guard replied before looking between Jack and the sludge like food on the tray, "How does she normally do this?"

"She has to feed me." Jack replied with his eyebrow raised as the guard snorted

"Well I haven't got time to feed your sorry ass, there's bound to be some kid around here that can do it." Jack sighed at this rate he wasn't even going to get his one meal.

"I can help sir," came a familiar Welsh voice and Jack's head snapped up eyes landing on a figure dressed in a guard's uniform.

* * *

**Earlier That Day**

Ianto dressed in black snuck down the corridors of the hub from the living area he shared with the others to where Arabella, Dexter and Andre were waiting near the cog door.

"Are you ready to do this?" Arabella asked.

"I'm not leaving him up there any longer," Ianto replied.

"Let's go then," Dexter nodded.

"Not without us," The quad turned to see Owen, Tosh, Gwen, Rhys, Andy and Taffy standing there looking annoyed.

"So the whole we're saving them tomorrow spiel was code for we'll sneak out before dawn?" Gwen asked.

"It's too dangerous," Andre replied.

"He's our leader, our friend too. We want to help." Gwen replied.

"We've even come up with a plan," Tosh interrupted before the others could respond. Dexter raised an eyebrow and exchanged a look with Ianto who shrugged before nodding for Tosh to show them. The group surrounded Tosh's computer as she went over the details she and the rest of the team had come up with.

"It's better than our plan," Andre muttered reading through the details.

"What was your plan?" Gwen asked curiously.

The four looked at each other before Arabella answered. "Essentially, sneak in, beat some people up, free Jack, beat some more people up break out, run."

"Ballsy," Rhys muttered.

"Stupid," Andy corrected.

"Still would have worked," Andre muttered.

"When did you come up with this?" Ianto asked.

"Today, we figured you lot wouldn't try something funny," Taffy replied.

"...well these three knew you would do something funny," Rhys added gesturing to Tosh, Gwen and Owen.

"So where so you two fit into this grand plan?" Arabella asked glancing at the two welsh 'civilians.'

"We stay and look after things here until you get back," Andy shrugged "We're not stupid enough to go on a suicide mission."

"We wouldn't be much help even if we did," Rhys added as Gwen squeezed him in a side on hug.

"So are we going to do this then?" Owen asked gesturing to where their plan was still displayed on the screen.

"It's still going to be dangerous," Ianto sighed glancing at his sister who shot him a odd look in return and for once he didn't know what she was thinking.

"Not as Dangerous as the first plan was and this one is more likely to succeed without spilling all our secrets in one go," Dexter said.

"So that's a yes then?" Gwen asked biting her lip as she tried not to smile

"Yes," Dexter agreed and the team didn't bother holding back their smugness and/or gladness.

"But..." Taffy spoke up eyes still on Ianto as she gained the others attention "If the last mission was so dangerous for us to go. Why were you going with them? I know Jack's your partner and you want him safe but... well, we know all you Torchwood guys are keeping secrets from the rest of us still, but... well we know there's something different about you three, you're special, probably not even human. But Ianto's my twin brother; we're human. If you wouldn't let the rest of the humans go with you why was Ianto going?"

The whole room fell silent, Rhys and Andy were watching curiously while the others exchanged meaningful looks before all the attention fell back to Taffy and Ianto.

Ianto took a look around to see everyone watching them and scowled, taking Taffy's hand he lead her across the main area and into Jack's office where he could speak to his sister in private.

* * *

Stepping into the office Ianto shut the door and pulled the cord to close the blinds. "Taffy, I've been keeping something from you for a little while now," Ianto said turning to face his sister.

"You mean other than the fact that the government agency you worked for was Torchwood? Cardiff's worst kept secret." Taffy replied perching herself on the edge of Jack's desk in a manner that was so familiar to the way Ianto often did himself.

"Yeah, other than that. Something happened to me a while ago, something bad... well the circumstances were bad and the woman who did this to me was evil...but the results were... are good though it took me a while to see that."

"Ianto whatever it is, you can tell me. Is it something to do with why you were going with them?" Taffy asked stepping forward to take Ianto's hand in his.

"You know how you said, they were special?" Ianto asked and Taffy nodded in response, Ianto sighed he hadn't realized it would be this difficult.

"They're special because they have a symbiotic relationship with an alien parasite that lives in their blood stream, it makes them physically, sensory and instinctively superior and more advanced than humans but in response they need to consume extra blood."

"Like vampires?" Taffy asked frowning slightly as he brother winced at the term.

"Sure if you're living in a horror movie."

"Why not? We have aliens living amongst us and one has currently taken over the planet. Sounds like a Sci-Fi movie to me, so why not live in a horror while we're at it," Taffy grinned.

"Taffy," Ianto warned.

"Ok so not Vampires what are they called then?"

"Pirask,"

"So what do they have to do with you?" Taffy asked worry beginning to creep up on her as Ianto stared at the wall just behind her, obviously trying to work out how to tell her what he needed to.

Ianto met Taffy's eyes and slowly allowed them to turn silver as he reached out and easily lifted her up over his head.

"Holy crap. Ianto put me down!" Taffy blurted squirming in his arms, but it made no difference as he easily placed her back on her feet letting her go and stepping back eyes downcast.

Taffy stared at her brother in shock as her brain caught up with what was happening and what she'd just seen her brother do. Ianto was staring at the ground looking for all the world like a kicked puppy who was about to be abandoned. As everything came together Taffy stepped forward and pulled Ianto into her arms.

"The woman who did this to you?" Taffy asked holding him tightly and not letting him go.

"Gone. Jack and Dexter dealt with her,"

"So Jack knows?"

"Yes, he helped me survive the change and come to terms with who I am now," Ianto replied.

"Then I owe him for even more than just making my brother happy. I owe him for taking care of you when I couldn't," Taffy replied stepping back and looking Ianto in the face.

"Do they influence your mind?"

"No, they make our instincts stronger and give us telepathic abilities but we're still us... I'm still me," Ianto replied.

"And you're my brother and I love you no matter what. Now let's go save this big lug of yours," Taffy smiled taking Ianto's hand and pulling him towards the door.

Ianto stopped and tugged on Taffy's hand to make her look at him, "You know I won't let anything happen to you."

"I believed that before you told me you had powers." Taffy grinned stepping forward and kissing him on the cheek.

* * *

**  
**

**Present Time**

"Good I've got more important things to do than hand feed the freak prisoner," the guard said shoving the tray into the hands of the junior officer.

Jack didn't even react to the name he was to busy staring at the new arrival.

Once the guard had left the room again Jack began to speak "What are you doing here? How...."

"Shhh Jack," was the only reply he got as well as a gesture to listen.

There was a muffled curse and a dull thump from outside the door and then the guard was being dragged into the room by Owen and Andre, Tosh and Gwen not far behind all dressed in guard uniforms as well.

"Your rescue team has arrived... figured you be more heavily guarded though." Owen muttered as they dumped the guards unconscious forms at his feet. Gwen and Tosh went to an arm each and began to pick the locks on his shackles much to Jack's amusement. He knew Tosh could get out of anything but it seemed Gwen had learnt a few more tricks.

taring around at his rescue party he felt his worry surge a little "Where's Ianto?"

"Don't worry he's fine. He, Ari and Dexter went to find the Doctor," Taffy explained as she tossed the tray with his food to the side and grabbed his coat from where it had been thrown in the corner gathering dust.

"And what on earth are you doing here?" Jack asked staring at the his lover's twin dressed in the guard uniform, she had been the biggest surprise of his life when she'd walked through that door offering to feed him.

"A few things have changed since you've been up here Jack," Tosh replied quietly as she and Gwen helped steady him as his arms were finally released.

"Taffy, Rhys and Andy have become handy people to have on the team," Gwen replied.

"Andy and Rhys?"

"They're at home looking after the hub while we're here," Taffy.

"Home?" Jack questioned her choice of words.

"You'll see. But first we're getting you out of here," Andre said.

"Wait down the hall, Martha's family is being held prisoner we need to try and get them out as well," Jack said shrugging into his filthy coat.

"I'll go, if I can free them I will. The rest of you stick to the plan I'll meet you at the chopper." Andre said before slipping out the door and silently down the hall.

"OK this is a... well I'm not sure; Ianto called it a holo-echo, he dug it out of the archives," Owen explained holding up a pair of small devices, "here, help me lift him up," he said gesturing to the guard.

It took a bit of effort but between the two of them Owen and Jack managed to lift the guard up and the girls attached the manacles to his wrist so he was now in Jack's previous position.

Owen stepped forward and attached one of the devices to the unconscious guard's uniform. Once it didn't look like it was going to fall off he turned towards Jack with the other.

Jack took a cautious step back

"Oh relax do you really think I'm going to do something to hurt you if it means I have to patch you up when we get out of this hell hole," Owen snorted ignoring the glare Jack threw at him as he stepped forward and attached the device to Jack's shirt.

Owen stepped back to admire his handiwork "Perfect,"

Jack looked down to see a small light blinking on the device "So what's it do?" Jack asked. Tosh giggled as Owen turned Jack around to see himself hanging from the chains. Jack did a rather comic double-take glancing from the device on his shirt to the guard hanging from the chains looking exactly as he did now coat and all.

"And I look like him." Jack stated looking down at the guard's uniform he now 'wore'.

"Yep,"

"Now why on earth don't we use these more often?" Jack asked experimentally taking off his coat and watching it vanish from the image of himself covering the guard.

"You had it filed under unless junk according to Ianto. It came through the rift years ago but it only lasts for a short time before resetting." Gwen explained,

"It's a toy then," Jack replied.

"But a very useful one," Tosh said taking his coat and stuffing it into a backpack. "We need to go before that runs out."

"What about the others?" Taffy asked.

"They're not here yet so they'll meet us at the helicopter," Gwen said.

"Where on earth did you get a Chopper from?" Jack asked as the group began to make their way down the deserted hallways of the boiler room where he'd been kept.

"We stole it from the supplies team and took their place," Owen replied

Jack blinked in surprise; he hadn't been expecting that "Oh."


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Ianto, Arabella and Dexter snuck along the corridors of the valiant, all their senses on alert, not needing to worry about the CCTV as Tosh had everything looped but needing to make sure they didn't run into any of the guards.

Hearing two sets of footsteps up ahead the ducked into a large storage room which they quickly realised wasn't a good place as it was a food store and the ship's cooking staff would begin preparing breakfast soon.

The footsteps stopped in front of the door and they only had a few seconds to hide. Keys jangled outside the door and they heard a male voice snort in amusement. There was no use trying to hide behind the shelves all they were all racks that you could see through over the food they held.

"It'll be unlocked it always is. What's the point in locking anything up here? No one's going to steal from the Master," came a gruff voice from the other side of the door as the handle began to turn.

With a silent agreement the trio nimbly and silently leapt up and balanced themselves standing on the top of the shelves.

A man and a woman wearing unmarked military fatigues entered the door and went about collecting supplies and adding them to a box the man was carrying. Completely unaware that if they looked up they would find three precariously balanced individuals dressed in black with almost glowing silver eyes.

-------------------------------------------

The trio of Pirask let out a sigh of relief as the pair left with their supplies and easily dropped down landing gracefully on their feet.

"How much further?" Dexter asked .

"According to the plan and Intel we've received the Doctor's being held just around the corner," Arabella answered.

"And Marcas is going to meet us there?" Ianto asked.

"That's what I said in the last message I sent him but I didn't get a reply," Arabella shrugged.

"Well hopefully he received it and was just unable to reply. I want to get all of our people out of this place as soon as possible," Dexter replied.

Arabella and Ianto exchanged a bemused looks as they followed Dexter out the door. They knew that now when he said 'our people' he didn't just mean the other Pirask and Jack, now he included the rest of the Torchwood team and it's newest members. They were just about to enter the room where the Doctor was being held when Ianto paused.

He'd kept his side of the bond quiet all morning so Jack couldn't try and talk him out of what they were doing but he'd kept tabs on Jack's emotional state like he always did. He felt a wave of shock and surprise followed by pride and affection.

"What is it?" Arabella whispered.

Ianto smiled, a real smile his first in a long time "They've got Jack."

"Good, it's time for us to do our bit then," Dexter said pausing to listen for any sound on the other side of the door. When there was nothing on the other side but relative silence Dexter activated the switch for the door to slide open.

What they didn't expect was to be face to face with the tip of a sword. Arabella was already in sight but Ianto wasn't so he quickly stepped further back before he was seen.

"Hello Dexter, Arabella," the second name was practically a sneer.

"Sophia? What?" Dexter asked gaping at his ex from long ago.

"Actually it's Miss Dexter now and I'm sure my Master would love to meet you both."

-------------------------------------------

The five of them walked down the hallway looking every bit like they belonged. Not like four rescuers who'd just sprung the fifth from imprisonment.

"Commander," came a voice from behind them and Jack glanced down at the uniform projected on himself to see the rank. Cursing softly Gwen looked up at him in surprise.

"What?" she asked drawing the other's attention to them.

"Commander! Wait sir!" called the now persistent voice as he rushed to catch up with them.

"He means me," Jack hissed.

"It doesn't disguise your voice, you can't talk to him," Tosh replied biting her lip in worry.

"I'll deal with him," Owen said turning and walking to meet the soldier as he approached them. "What is it?"

"I need to speak with the Commander about a mix up in the shifts," he replied falling into an easy salute for Owen

"The Commander's not well, he's coming to sign a few papers for us but after that he's on medical orders to get rest and have no contact with any other staff, he don't want the whole carrier getting sick." Owen lied easily.

"I understand sir, but what about the staffing issues, I was assured that the commander was the only one with the authority to sort out the situation."

"What situation?"

Owen jumped as a thick Scottish accent that was pretty close if a little deeper to the real commanders voice came from behind him. He turned around and gave Jack a disbelieving look as the soldier straightened into a full salute. "Sir, we're over staffed on the next shift and shockingly under staffed on this shift."

Jack looked over his shoulder at Tosh who shrugged with an innocent look on her face, clever girl Jack thought as he turned back to the still saluting soldier.

"You'll have to deal with this on your own soldier, I haven't the time nor the patience to deal with someone else's cock up. Find out who's had the longest rest and pull them onto this shift. I'll sign any paper work you need me to but I want this sorted in an hour. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes sir!"

"Fine, now get to it!" Jack snapped and the solider scrambled away back up the corridor. Jack smirked and turned back to the team who were looking at him oddly, "What?" he asked with his normal voice.

"Nothing, lets go," Owen grunted and they continued down the hall and out onto the flight deck.

Spotting only one helicopter on the deck Jack let out a low whistle in appreciation, his days in the air force and love for aircraft surging to the surface.

Owen rolled his eyes, Gwen and Taffy giggled at him and Tosh just smiled at him in amusement.

"Come and meet her then Captain. Can you fly her?" Tosh asked.

Jack bit back a snort but he couldn't stop the indignant "Of course I can,"

"Maybe it's best if you prep her. We had plans to get you and the Doctor out but not for Martha's family we might need to get out of here in a hurry," Tosh replied.

"And hope he doesn't send the Toclafane after us," Owen muttered as they all climbed into the chopper.

-------------------------------------------

The chopper was fully prepped and ready to go when the chaos started, shouting came from within the hangers as three figures dressed in black ran out of the building followed by gunshots

"Ianto!" Taffy gasped as her brother jerked from catching a bullet in the shoulder. Owen wrapped his arm around the younger woman to keep her from leaving the chopper. Dexter caught Ianto's good arm and hauled him along clutching his ribs when from his posture it was obvious he was injured as well. Arabella was practically hopping unable to put any weight on one leg but using her Pirask abilities to keep up with the others.

"Why aren't they outrunning the guards, I know they're faster than that!" Gwen asked.

"They're too injured. The Rask will be busy keeping them alive and trying to heal them. Their abilities will be significantly weakened at the moment," Jack explained eyes locked on his lover. Why couldn't he feel him? Reaching out through their bond he encountered a small flimsy barrier. Ianto had been shielding him from it? It just went to show how powerful a Pirask his young lover was becoming.

They watched, unable to do anything as the trio was backed to the edge of the platform and surrounded by an array of soldiers all with their guns trained on them.

A dark blur shot across the flight deck unnoticed in all the commotion and launched itself inside the helicopter.

Taffy bit back a scream as a large black wolf sat itself down on the co-pilot's seat. Owen and Gwen soon had their guns trained on it and Tosh stared at it in shock

"Stand down guys it's okay," Jack replied before he looked at the Wolf next to him, resting a hand gently on the wolves shoulder.

"You couldn't get to them could you?" Jack asked looking directly at the wolf, Gwen, Owen and Taffy looked at the older man like he'd lost it but Tosh was staring at the wolf her mind already beginning to put the pieces into place.

The wolf whimpered softly lowering his head.

"It's okay we'll try and come back for them later." Jack said his eyes moving back to the scene before him and Miss Dexter walked towards the trio. The wolf whimpered again gesturing with his nose to where they stood one step away from falling over the edge.

"I don't know.... Tosh I need you to hack one of those radios into the soldier's ear wigs." Jack said he looked down as the hologram flickered before dying.

"Most of the soldiers are out here but we still need to get out of here before someone finds the real commander in your place." Owen said eyes flickering between their friends out there and the wolf sitting on the front seat.

"We can't just leave! We have to help them!" Taffy argued.

"I'm working on it. Tosh is the radio ready?" Jack asked.

Tosh placed the radio in Jack's waiting hand, "Here, Jack is..." Tosh began but stopped, staring at the wolf as he turned his head and stared back at her with familiar green eyes.

"What is it Tosh?" Jack asked softly knowing his brilliant friend had already worked it out.

Tosh didn't reply to Jack instead reaching her hand out towards the wolf as the other's watched her in silence.

"Andre?" she whispered as the wolf licked her fingers gently before rubbing his cheek against her palm. "You should have told me, I would have understood," she said running her fingers through his coat.

"There's no way! Jack?!" Gwen began.

"We don't have time for this," Jack replied pulling the radio up and switching into the Scottish accent he'd used earlier when he was pretending to be the Commander, with any luck the radio would cover the difference in their voices to make him sound exactly like the other man. "Copter 483 you've already been cleared for take off. Stop piss farting around and get on with your job the situation on the flight deck is under control and none of your concern," Jack snapped and Gwen couldn't help the snicker that escaped as he scolded them and gave them their exit in the same sentence.

Dropping the radio in his hands he quickly went about taking off from the flight deck, "Andre hold us steady," Jack ordered and everyone watched in amusement and a little worry as he took hold of the joystick with his teeth, using his paws to stabilise himself.

Jack grabbed the radio again and reached out to his mate.

_Ianto I'm sorry. It's the only think I can think of. We'll be there below to get you, but...._

_I understand Jack, I can see your plan. I'll warn them...I love you...Do it Jack._

Taking a deep breath he gave the order he'd later have trouble forgiving himself for.

"Orders from the Master, make sure Miss Dexter is clear and open fire."


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Dropping the radio Jack took control of the joystick trying to ignore everything else around him as he moved the chopper away from the Valiant so the others couldn't see what was going to happen. Taffy and Gwen were screaming at him in despair. Owen cursed him repeatedly while aiming a gun at his head and Tosh sobbed into Andre's fur as he nuzzled her neck softly in comfort. Continuing to ignore them Jack tried to focus on what he was doing just before he dipped the chopper he heard Miss Dexter screaming in outrage. They vanished below the deck of the ship as the gunfire erupted above them.

The chopper fell silent before Taffy's broken "Nooo!" erupted as three bodies fell from the side of the Valiant towards the ocean below.

Jack immediately sent the chopper into the safest drive he could without crashing them. He knew there would only be a short amount of time before Miss Dexter went to the Master and sent his Toclafane after the bodies.

"You stupid son of a bitch," Owen hissed as the rest of them held on tight. Jack blocked him out, he felt bad enough without their help and as it was he was only just keeping his own emotions under control. Getting close enough to the water he scanned the ocean praying he could spot them amongst the waves.

_Jack... turn left_

Jack swung the chopper left and spotted some disturbance in the water ahead. As he got closer he lowered the chopper so it's landing struts were in the water.

_Can you all grab hold? Or are you too injured?_

_Fly past we'll manage then take off, they won't be far behind us._

Owen who was still verbally abusing him spotted the disturbance in the water ahead of them "Oh my god, Jack slow down or you're going to hit them." Owen said before moving towards the main door of the Chopper ready to help the others in.

"Jack slow down! You're going to run them under!" Owen snapped but Jack ignored him as he reached the trio and saw them disappear under the nose of the chopper he closed his eyes.

_Jack we're on, go._

Eyes snapping open Jack pulled back on the joystick lifting them from the water and aiming them for the hub.

"Jack! What are you doing!" Gwen cried from where she was knelt next to a cursing Owen.

"Pull them in!" Jack snapped.

"What?"

"They're on the stilts pull them in!" Jack repeated relieved when he saw the pair turn to do so.

"Tosh, sweetheart, I need my coat. Please." Jack said softly to the still upset woman.

Tosh blindly reached behind her and pulled his coat from the bag. "Now wrap it around Andre. I need him to fly so he'll need to change back but his clothes don't change with him and I doubt he wants to sit here and pilot the chopper in only his birthday suit." Jack explained and Tosh gave him a watery smile as Andre growled and she carefully wrapped the coat around him.

Jack smiled at her when she held the coat closed as his body morphed from wolf to man, which no matter how many times Jack saw it still found slightly disturbing, but Tosh didn't freak out merely changed her grip on the coat to preserve Andre's modesty.

Quickly pushing his arms through the coat he did up the lower buttons. He smiled at Tosh in thank you, who blushed a little before moving back to help the others as they pulled the still form of Arabella into the helicopter from where she'd been held tightly between Ianto and Dexter.

"I've got it." Andre said and that was all Jack need to leap into the back. As the other's helped Ianto and Dexter into the helicopter Jack moved to Arabella's side.

Swallowing back the bile that rose in his throat Jack gently brushed the hair away from her forehead to reveal a bullet hole washed clean of blood from the salt water.

Scanning the rest of her body he could see the blood stains from where her leg was shot but it looked like she's also received a bullet to her arm, stomach and lower chest. Bending down he pressed a kiss to her stone cold salty lips. "I'm so sorry Ari."

Leaving Ari lying comfortably on the floor he moved to the others as they pulled Dexter into the aircraft. Grabbing his old friend around the shoulders he helped him move to one of the seats. Dexter had fared much better from the firing squad only catching one in the calf and one through his side near his ribs. What worried Jack more was the gaping wound running from his right shoulder to his left hip, "What?" Jack asked.

"Sword,"

"Miss Dexter," Jack hissed furiously.

"Sophia Philips." Dexter replied and Jack's eyes widened in shock as he recognized the name but he didn't comment on it as his eyes fell once again to Arabella's still form as Dexter knelt beside her taking her hand in his even though she wouldn't feel it.

"Dexter I'm so sorry, I..."

"Jack stop it. I know what you've been through has been traumatic up there but you need to focus. We need you back in the here and now, use your bond with Ianto to ground yourself again. You re stronger than that psycho, don't let him win."

"But..."

"No Jack. You did what you needed to, we all understand that and the team will come round but not if you can't accept it yourself. We're all going to be fine. Now focus." Dexter ordered and Jack did as the older man said, closing his eyes and using his bond with Ianto to ground and centre himself.

A shaky hand on his shoulder snapped him out of his mind and back to the present. Turning he found Ianto smiling weakly down at him the other's standing behind him ready to catch Ianto were his swaying to turn into a fall. Ianto collapsed down into Jack's waiting arms and Jack pulled him to his chest, head tucked under his chin as he rocked his mate gently a constant flow of apologies running thorough their bond.

Jack ran his eyes over Ianto's body taking in the bullet wounds; arm, upper chest, neck and hip. Meanwhile Ianto reached out mentally and propped his captain back up, fixing the mental injuries from the master's abuse as they continued to hold each other.

Owen dropped to Arabella and Dexter's side as the three women sat themselves on the bench hugging each other and watching the scene in shock.

"Damnit!" Owen cursed seeing the hole in her head.

"She'll be ok. I need you to take the bullet out; it will help her heal faster if her body doesn't have to push it out itself. Then when we get to the hub we'll put her on an intravenous so the Rask can get the blood they need to repair her body. She'll be up and about in a day or so," Dexter explained.

"What about you and Ianto?" Owen asked.

"We can feed here from the blood we bought with us, but I'll need you to bandage my gash, it was caused by silver, which is the Rask's ultimate poison. The Rask can't heal it as quickly without them getting ill or dying off. It won't be as slow as a normal human healing but it may still take a week or two." Dexter explained wincing slightly as Owen pulled his shirt open and off so he could do exactly as he needed. Tosh reached under the bench they were sitting on and slid Owen's medical kit over to him while Jack, not releasing his hold on Ianto, reached behind himself for the cool box he'd seen.

Ianto reached out and flipped the lid open. "There's not enough to heal both of us with the injuries we've sustained," Ianto sighed.

"Why didn't you bring more?" Gwen asked.

"We didn't expect to be this injured and if we were we didn't expect to escape," Dexter replied wincing as Owen began cleaning his wound.

"Yes brilliant plan that was Jack," Owen snorted.

"You want to tell me how else we were going to get out of there?" Jack snapped sounding a lot more like himself that Ianto sighed in relief against his mate's neck. Looking up he spotted Taffy staring at him trembling slightly. Reaching a hand out to her he was glad when she moved to their side and snuggled in against Jack and Ianto, who both automatically put an arm each around her drawing her closer.

"We don't know but there had to be some way that didn't involve getting them shot up," Gwen growled.

"There wasn't and you know it." Andre said from where he continued to fly them home.

"Andre's right. Jack knew what we could handle, he knew we would heal and he spoke to Ianto before it happened to give us warning. None of us are angry or blaming him and neither should you," Dexter said ignoring Owen's muttering as he began to dress his wounds.

"Jack made the hard decision. Just like he always has too," Ianto said looking each of the team in the eye as if challenging them to bring it up again.

"Have we got enough blood at the hub? We can all donate a pint when we get back if we need to. Since we're going to have to stay underground for a week or two after this," Tosh said getting back to the problem at hand, always the first one to reach an understanding and forgive when it was deserved.

"Whatever we need, I'm a walking blood bank you'll only need to donate if you want to, I can supply them enough to recover," Jack replied.

Tosh smiled and him as she lent over and kissed Jack and Ianto on the cheek before moving into the seat next to Andre that Jack had vacated earlier.

After a silent urging from Ianto, Jack pushed the cool box over to Dexter with his foot "Feed. You'll need the most out of the three of you especially with that sword injury."

"Ianto needs to feed to or he's going to pass out and slip into a Pirask coma from blood loss." Dexter argued

"Feed old man. I'll take care of Ianto," Jack said reaching into Owen's medical kit and pulling out a scalpel. Dexter nodded in understanding before reaching into the cool box and removing the first bag of blood.

"Ianto come on," Jack nudged his lover where he was whispering to Taffy who was still curled up with them.

Ianto saw the scalpel in his hand and frowned a little, about to protest but he decided against it knowing he's never win, instead he turned towards his sister.

"This... um this might freak you out a little," Ianto admitted.

"I'll be fine, I love you anyway you come," she replied with a small smile.

"You'll need a fair bit and I want you to take it all even if you need to more than once... but..." Jack said his eyes drifting to Taffy.

"It's ok she knows you're immortal she's just yet to witness it," Ianto explained and Jack nodded moving slightly so he could use both hands he cut into his wrist quickly moving back into his previous position with Ianto and Taffy he leant down and met Ianto's lips in a brief kiss that said and promised so much.

Breaking apart, Jack moved his bleeding wrist towards Ianto's mouth not worrying about any blood getting on their already destroyed clothes. Ianto leant forward slightly to take Jack's arm and guide it to his mouth. Ignoring the odd looks he was getting from the others his silver eyes drifted closed as he wrapped his lips over the cut and began to feed, sighing in relief as the blood relieved his pain and Rask began their work.

_Thank you for coming after me_

_I promised, didn't I Cariad?_


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

They pulled two SUV's into the garage. Ianto, Dexter, Taffy, Jack and Gwen had occupied the main one with the girls in the front seats since Ianto and Jack didn't particularly seem keen on leaving each other's side and Dexter had just finished feeding from Jack. That had taken a lot of convincing on Jack's part and more than a few meaningful looks between Ianto and Dexter before the Pirask leader had agreed.

The back-up SUV contained Tosh and Owen in the front while Andre looked after Arabella in the back.

Everyone climbed out looking completely exhausted. Dexter quickly moved to the other SUV taking Arabella from Andre's arms.

"Come on mate, let's get her upstairs to the med wing, I'll take that bullet out and we'll set you both up on IV's." Owen said looking as exhausted as the rest of them but knowing he had more work to do before he could get to sleep.

The pair left silently with Arabella's body leaving everyone else behind to sort themselves out.

Jack was still laid out in the back of one of the SUV's not yet revived from Dexter's feeding.

"Did he have to die?" Gwen asked looking at her pale captain.

"No but it means he can give the Pirask as much blood as they need since when he dies he heals faster," Andre replied.

"I wouldn't talk to me right now. You've been lying to us." Gwen snapped, her temper short.

"I never lied, I just didn't tell you everything," Andre snorted.

"That's not...." Gwen began; Ianto was about to cut her off when Tosh beat her to it. "Leave him alone Gwen."

Gwen stared at Tosh in surprise for a few minutes and Ianto decided it was time to intervene before they began arguing even more. "Go to bed everyone. I'll wait with Jack till he revives."

"Are you sure?" Tosh asked.

"We all need sleep Tosh but I'm not leaving him to wake up alone."

Tosh nodded in understanding, she pressed a kiss to his cheek before heading out of the garage Andre following silently behind her.

Gwen and Taffy both stood still neither wanting to leave.

Ianto sighed "Gwen go find Rhys, I'm sure he'll want to make sure you're ok for himself." Gwen wavered a little wanting to see her lover but at the same time not wanted to abandon her friends.

"He might take a while to come to, he's died three times in a short period of time, plus blood loss generally takes a little longer anyway," Ianto explained.

"I'll wait with them Gwen, make sure they don't do anything stupid." Taffy said and Ianto was about to protest but didn't bother once he caught the look Taffy was throwing at him. Gwen chewed her lip for a moment then realizing it was probably the only thing Ianto was going to allow she nodded in acceptance. Pulling both the twins into a hug she turned and made her way up into the hub.

Upon reaching the main floor she found Rhys sitting on the couch waiting for her.

The moment he saw her he leapt to his feet and met her half way pulling her into a tight hug, which she eagerly returned. Wrapped in his arms she let everything go. All the emotional chaos of the mission poured out as she wept on his shoulder. Rhys simply held her close and rocked her. He'd already heard from Owen what had happened as he patched up the two Pirask. No matter what his wife did, trying to save the world, fighting aliens, even if he couldn't be by her side in the field, he could do this and be there when she needed him.

--------------------------------------

Ianto had climbed back into the SUV, maneuvering himself so Jack was leaning back against his chest as he lent on the closed door. Taffy sat in the front seat watching him carefully, he was fully healed apart from his current headache, but it had taken Jack dying twice in the helicopter for it to be possible and even then the injuries had only just finished healing a few minutes ago and she wasn't entirely sure that everything internal had finished healing.

Jack's current death was from Dexter feeding from him, the older man hadn't wanted to kill him but Jack had insisted he take everything so he could come back faster if Dexter needed more.

Now it was just a matter of waiting for her brother's lover to come back to life again. While the others had told her about Jack's ability after she freaked out about leaving him up there so long with a killer, nothing had prepared her for actually watching it happen. He looked terrified and in so much pain when he first revived, though, Ianto had told her, the fear was a new addition to the process. Caused by having to revive and face your killer only so he could kill you in another painful way just for the fun of it.

Ianto rubbed his eyes again an uncomfortable look upon his face as he tried to relieve the headache behind his eyes and with a start Taffy realized something that had not occurred to her before now and probably never would have had she not been sitting here with the two men.

"The headaches and the nausea that you've been suffering from for the last two months. You get it when Jack dies don't you?" Taffy asked.

"Yes," Ianto replied not taking his eyes off the man in his arms.

Taffy paused for a moment as she thought back over the last two months "Every time?"

Ianto didn't reply just looked up into her eyes and she paled as the implication behind it hit her as she remember just how many times she'd witnesses her brother suddenly become ill and all the times she probably missed when she wasn't with him.

"They tortured him up there didn't they?" Taffy whispered her hand brushing the side of Jack's face.

"Yes. Physically he was ok, his body repaired itself but mentally he was wearing down. On the chopper I had a bit of healing to help him with mentally."

"What do you mean? You helped him mentally? How?" Taffy asked confused but assuming that it was another Pirask thing, as she had a lot to learn about her brother's new life.

Ianto sighed, "I hate this explanation... ok, you know how some animals mate for life?"

"Like penguins." Taffy confirmed not quite sure where this was going

"Yes like penguins. Pirask mate for life as well. Jack's... my boyfriend by our standards. But by Pirask standards he's my Mate and we have a telepathic bond." Ianto explained and watched as his sister's eye lit up, she really was such a hopeless romantic when it came down to it.

"Oh wow. Ianto that s amazing and so romantic so you and Jack are.... hang on Jack's not a Pirask though is he?" Taffy asked.

"No Jack's from the future..."

"The future?" Taffy interrupted eyes wide.

"Yes, the 51st century." Ianto confirmed enjoying flooring his twin a little more than his maturity would normally allow but he was too tired to care.

"Is he gonna get angry about you telling me this?" Taffy asked biting her lip, it hadn't taken her long to notice how much her brother and his partner enjoyed their privacy, especially from the rest of the team who up until the Toclafane hadn't even known how serious their relationship was.

"Because it's you, probably not. Now are you going to let me finish?" Ianto smiled.

"Sorry, continue."

"Ok so because he's from the future he already had some telepathic abilities but we used a device to help us boost him to the level of a Pirask... that's it there, melted around Jack's wrist like a tattoo." Ianto said lifting Jack's wrist so she could see it.

"Oh it's cold," Taffy said running her hand over it. "But it feels exactly the same as his skin, it's just cold when the rest of his skin is warm... actually it's getting warmer..."

Taffy jumped in shock as Jack surged to life in Ianto's arms.

--------------------------------------

Ianto and Jack walked into the main area of the hub hand in hand. Both were almost dead on their feet, exhausted from the day s events and their need to heal. Gwen stood by one of the computers leaning back into Rhys embrace as she read through the rift report on the screen.

Jack was just about to say something but stopped himself. A lot seemed to have changed in the two months since Saxon took over the world, he really wasn't sure how things worked around here any more, so he had no right to comment about Rhys being a civilian and in his hub.

Ianto sensing his cautious and confused mood squeezed his hand gently in reassurance.

"Hey, I was beginning to worry about you two. Taffy came up a while ago and said you were alive but it took longer than before and then you didn't come up after her straight away," Gwen replied hand coming up to cover a yawn.

"I needed to rest a little before I was strong enough to walk up here, Ianto's tired and I wouldn't let him help." Jack replied ignoring the look Ianto was giving him.

"I told you this last one might take a while when I sent you all up here to bed," Ianto added before yawning.

"She's too bloody stubborn as well, wanted to make sure you were both ok. The others have gone to bed, Arabella and Dexter are set up to IV's and Andy's keeping an eye on them tonight so the rest of you can sleep. I'll keep an eye on the rift and Saxon's movements once I get this one to sleep." Rhys said his arms tightening around Gwen as she snuggled even further into his arms.

"Come on you, let's get some sleep. I'll show you around properly in the morning," Ianto said dragging Jack in the direction of his office.

"Jack." Rhys called and the Captain turned to look over his shoulder at the man he'd only met once before, and hadn't that been an interesting first meeting.

"I'm glad you're back safe and sound, your team's been worried sick about you, especially that one; take care of each other."

Jack looked at Gwen's boyfriend for a moment, it seemed he'd been wrong about the man. "Thanks Rhys, we will, and you two do the same,"

"No worries there mate." Rhys nodded as he began to move Gwen through the hub in the direction of the lower levels.

Ianto led Jack down into the quarters under his office, flicking the light on Jack blinked at the sudden brightness. Once his vision clear he stared around the room in confusion for a moment, the room seemed more cluttered than he remembered it. Even with the double bed that Ianto replaced his cot with a few months ago it still seemed like there was more.... Ianto. The room now contained a mixture of Ianto and Jack's belongings. There wasn't a lot of Ianto's things mostly clothes a few books and a couple of photos frames things he must have had in the hub somewhere since he doubted any of them had been home since the initial attack, but it was there right in front of him.

"You moved in with me?" Jack asked, his voice a mixture of amusement and sadness, sadness that it hadn't been under better circumstances.

"Hmm, I didn't think you'd mind too much. If you want I can shift down to the barracks in the lower levels." Ianto teased sleepily as he headed for the shower.

Jack growled softly before following Ianto into the small private bathroom off the side of his quarters. The two men slipped under the hot water and lazily washed each other neither saying a word out loud or mentally just content to be with the other. There was nothing sexual about the shower; it was an assurance to each other that they were both alive and in one piece. Once they were clean they toweled each other dry exchanging soft lazy kisses as they did.

Flicking the towel over the rail Ianto turned to head back into the bedroom but when he realized Jack wasn't following him he stopped and turned back.

"Jack?" he asked as his lover continued to stare at himself in the mirror.

"I'm okay Ianto, I'll be there in a minute." Jack replied smiling at the younger man sending a wave of comfort through their bond. Ianto gave him one last look before turning and heading into the bedroom.

Jack continued to search his face and once Ianto was gone quickly used the mirror to scan his entire body to make sure the Saxon hadn't managed to scar him somehow. He sighed in relief when he found no scars other than those few he received before he'd become Immortal. The thought of that bastard managing to leave his mark on him had bothered him more than he was willing to admit and truthfully while he hadn't found anything that had left a scar yet, in the last few days the master had been a little, creative, with his techniques.

Smiling to himself Jack hung his towel and headed into the bedroom. Grabbing a pair of Boxers and a T-shirt he slipped them on before joining Ianto where he'd snuggled down in the bed wearing something similar.

Curling up behind the Welshman he noticed his mate had already drifted off into sleep.

"If you think I'm letting you out of my sight after this months of hell, you've got another thing coming," Jack whispered pulling Ianto tightly against him and falling into his own sleep, content and able to sleep for the first time since everything had changed for the worse.


	17. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Jack was the first of the pair to wake up the following morning but he didn't climb out of bed, content instead to simply lie there and watch his mate sleep. There were very few changes to his mate physically; his hair was longer giving him a sexy rugged look, which was intensified by the couple day old stubble across his face. Emotionally, mentally and physically Jack knew he was so much stronger than the quiet 'butler' of the team, whom they now knew to be so much more.

He'd wanted to be there for Ianto when he'd finally decided to tell them team either for moral support or to stop them reacting badly, though he didn't think they really would have. But no, he hadn't been there, he'd been off with the Doctor and Ianto had been forced to come out to protect the others. They'd managed to find each other again and what does he do? Goes with the Doctor again on a plan he knew was going to fail - though none of them had predicted just how drastically.

Locked up and tortured for two months, the Jones family had helped him through it and Tish was a godsend but it had been Ianto who really kept him going. The constant presence in his mind at first and then day by day they'd slowly developed the ability to talk to each other and Ianto had been the voice of reason and comfort in the back of his mind when all he'd wanted to do was give up and stay dead.

Even suffering from blood loss and terrible pain Ianto had managed to stop Jack's near mental breakdown and help mend the damage Saxon had done, no matter what neither of them would call that bastard Master. His strong silent Ianto, the backbone of the team and no one even noticed.

Jack leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to Ianto's forehead so he didn't wake him. They had a lot of work ahead of them as well, they needed to make sure Martha was okay and help her if she needed it not to mention trying to find another way to defeat Saxon in case the Doctor's plan failed. Or better yet come up with a way that wouldn't take another 10 months of putting the planet through hell before it could be completed. He had no idea what he'd do without Ianto, he still had to do a lot of recovering from what Saxon did to him but he knew Ianto would be there. If only he could be there for Ianto the same way, but at the moment he seemed to be the weak link in the team and that bothered him.

_Oh Stop it!_

Jack jumped slightly as Ianto's voice pushed through the thoughts swimming around in his mind, he'd been so caught up in them he hadn't even realized Ianto had woken, though when he looked at the younger man it still looked like he was fast asleep.

Ianto cracked one eye open and glared up at Jack through it.

"You're thinking loud enough to wake the whole neighbourhood," Ianto muttered burying himself further into Jack's chest.

"Sorry," Jack whispered tightening his arms around Ianto.

"And you do plenty for me so stop being a hypocrite,"

"That's a big word for you just after you've woken up," Jack teased trying to keep some of the amusement out of his voice and failing miserably.

"Yeah but it's the only one you're getting," Ianto muttered playfully nipping Jack's chest

"That's okay, I'll be happy with little words, or even noises for that matter," Jack smirked down at Ianto who poked him in the ribs.

"You help and look after me a lot too you know. More than you realize." Ianto said almost to quietly for Jack to hear. Ianto sensed Jack was about to protest so he leaned up and captured the older man's lips in a heated kiss.

"Missed you," Ianto murmured barely pulling back from the kiss to get the words out.

"Not as much as I did," Jack replied looking Ianto in the eye.

Ianto rolled them so he was straddling Jack, leaning down so he could whisper in Jack's ear "Prove it,"

---------------------------------

Taffy strolled through the depths of the hub, it was still way too early for people to be up but she hadn't been sleeping much recently. As she entered the medical area she was surprised to see Owen changing the bag of blood on Arabella's drip. Dexter was sitting quietly by her head reading a book and Taffy had a feeling he hadn't left her side since they got back last night.

Owen looked up from what he was doing and walked over to her, taking her hand he led her from the room.

"How is she?" Taffy asked.

"Healing. The external injuries are gone and she looks healthy but I did a scan on her head an hour ago there's still a lot of damage internally that needs to heal."

"How long will she be out?" Taffy asked confused.

"The brain's a funny thing, we still don't know a lot about it. Too complicated, there's no way of telling how long it will take the Rask to repair that level of damage, I'm just amazed that she's still alive,"

"She is?" Taffy asked is shock she may not have been a doctor but she was a fully qualified nurse and had spent the last two months working with Owen in treating the victims of the Toclafane, and there was no way that kind of damage to the brain would leave the body alive.

"Heart rate and breathing slow but stable, I can't explain it," Owen shrugged running a hand through his hair before rubbing at his eyes.

"Did you sleep at all?" Taffy asked concerned.

"A little, but I'm too much of a bloody doctor, can't sleep when I have a patient I need to look after." Owen said looking back through the door at Arabella's bed.

"Andy was going to change her blood bags through the night," Taffy argued

"But Andy wouldn't have known what to do if something went wrong," Owen pointed put.

"Owen..." Taffy began to protest, she knew just how hard the doctor worked these days, especially since she was the one working along side him, but there was only so much a person could do before they crashed.

"Do you want a coffee?" Owen interrupted "It's not as good as your brother's but I can make something drinkable,"

Taffy stared at the doctor for a moment realizing she wasn't going to get through to him today, just as she hadn't been able to for the last week. She smiled and nodded in acceptance of the offer for coffee.

-------------------------------------

Jack pressed butterfly kisses along the back of Ianto's neck as the young Welshman stretched feeling happy and sated for the first time in what seemed like forever.

"We should be getting up," Ianto whispered to Jack who paused briefly in his task

"We should I suppose, or we can stay here and have a nice little repeat performance," Jack whispered

"Hmm you have no idea how tempting that sounds," Ianto groaned rolling over in Jack's embrace.

"But?" Jack questioned

"But I thought we could check on Arabella, then I'll show you around and what we've been doing before the other's get up." Ianto said still laying on his side facing Jack.

"What have you been doing while I've been gone?" Jack queried.

"Saving the world, just like you trained us to do," Ianto smiled making sure not to give anything away mentally just as he hadn't for the last two months.

Jack looked down briefly and Ianto could sense the guilt flooding through his mate. Ianto frowned in confusion there was no reason for Jack to feel guilty.

"Ianto I..." Jack began but Ianto pressed a finger to his lips

"Don't apologize, it wasn't your fault, none of it was," Ianto replied and a smile spread across Jack's lips beneath his finger.

"I wasn't going to apologize, I was going to tell you how proud I was of all of you," Jack said pressing a kiss to Ianto's finger where it was still resting against his lips he climbed out of bed and headed for the shower. Pausing at the door Jack looked back over his shoulder. "Care to join me?" Jack leered.

"You're insatiable," Ianto chuckled.

"Hey I'm multitasking, combining both our plans," Jack grinned "Besides, you love me for it," he added disappearing into the bathroom.

Ianto grinned after his mate, his eyes slowly turning silver as he let the Rask flow throughout his body. Climbing out of bed he smirked as he followed Jack into the showers.

-------------------------------

Once Owen had fixed them both drinks he headed down to his quarters to get changed into some clean clothes as he was still in the uniform they'd used to break into the Valiant last night and Taffy walked back into the room taking a seat next to Dexter.

"How are you?" she asked.

"Fine," Dexter replied turning to look at her and not quite managing ot hide the wince as it pulled on the sword wound across his chest.

"I hate that word," Taffy muttered evoking a chuckle from Dexter.

"How's she doing?" Taffy asked, even though she's already heard the medical explanation from Owen, she wanted to get Dexter talking a little to see how he was doing.

"She's doing okay, she completely bored and sick of lying around in a bed but she's healing at a good rate for the injury she sustained." Dexter said putting his book down and taking Arabella's hand again.

Taffy stared at Dexter as if he'd sprouted another head as what he said slowly sunk in. "How do you know that?"

"How much did Ianto tell you about his mate bond with Jack?" Dexter asked.

"A bit, why?" Taffy asked confused with what that had to do with anything.

"Arabella is my Mate. I have a telepathic bond with her so I can talk to her while she's like this. I've been reading to her to help her pass the time, she can't hear me physically yet but she can mentally."

"But that's impossible! The damage that bullet would have done is..." Taffy began to argue.

"I don't understand it either, the Rask basically jerry-rig our brain if there's damage sustained, enough to keep the rest of our body going and our mind alive but it renders us in an unconscious state so they have time to properly heal our brain," Dexter explained and the pair sat there in silence for a moment as Taffy let the explanation sink in.

"I didn't realize she was your mate, I thought you were just close friends or something," Taffy said finally breaking the silence as she came to the conclusion that she wasn't going to be able to understand what was happening to her friend so she might as well just give up and accept it.

"We've been together a long, long time but Arabella's still mourning Pete so it may be a bit longer before we get back to full romantic mode." Dexter said smoothing Arabella's hair back out of her face.

"I understand I miss Venn so much it hurts. I was just wondering why you didn't get sick but it's because she didn't die isn't it?" Taffy said

"Yes, I lost a mate once, before I met Arabella. If feels like your heart is being ripped from your chest and their presence in your mind in torn away leaving a gaping hole, It's more painful then anything you can imagine and a huge shock to your system which is what the nausea, headaches and incapacity come out as. Jack and Ianto have a very unique bond, it's stronger than anything I've ever seen. Which is even more confusing since Jack isn't even a Pirask. As far as I know Jack's ability to die and come back shouldn't be affecting Ianto the way it does because Jack does come back. Ianto knows that Jack will come back and therefore the Rask know so they should stop his body from mourning the loss of his mate. But Ianto is still suffering every time Jack is killed and I don't know why,"

"What?" The pair looked up in surprise at the new voice in the room.

There standing in the doorway was the couple they had just been talking about, both looking pale. Jack was staring at Dexter in shock while Ianto looked at Jack in fear. Ianto stared at his mate as what they'd overheard Dexter say began to sink in. He'd wanted to leave it a while before breaking the news to Jack, let him recover a little more from what Saxon had done to him, before he found out that Ianto had been suffering at the same time.

Jack turned to look at Ianto who swallowed nervously. "Jack I..."


	18. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

"Jack I..." Ianto paused unsure what to say.

"Is it true?" Jack asked.

Taffy looked nervously between the pair feeling guilty for causing them any awkwardness after they'd only just found one another again, "I'm gonna go see if Owen needs any help with the others," she muttered quietly before leaving the room, she didn't want to make it any worse and knowing her she was bound to open her mouth and say something wrong.

"Every time I die you feel it somehow? It makes you sick?" Jack pushed.

Ianto looked to Dexter for help but all he got was a hand gesture that Ianto assumed was tell him, but he wasn't entirely sure. Taking a deep breath Ianto took Jack's other hand so he was now holding both of them and turned the older man to face him more.

"Yes it's true," Ianto whispered and Jack went pale at the thought. He was about to say something but Ianto continued stopping him short. "At first it was really bad, I'd collapse, too weak to stand with a splitting migraine and the need to constantly empty my stomach."

Jack made a sound that was close to a whimper, but was so quiet that if his mate hadn't been Pirask he probably would have never heard it. Ianto cupped Jack's cheek "But the last week and a half it's been better, lots better, now I feel a little queasy but I don't throw up and all I get is a bit of a headache which fades again once you've revived," Ianto explained.

Jack looked at Ianto confused "What changed?"

"You started to warn me. I don't think you even realized you'd been doing it, just before you die you mentally call out to me."

"Jesus Ianto! That doesn't make it better!" Jack exploded.

"Jack it's fine," Ianto tried to reason.

"No it's not fine Ianto! The last two months and all the shit that bastard put me through! It was supposed to protect you all, and it was all for nothing, you've had to suffer anyway!" Jack argued it looked like he was about to say more but a smack to the back of the head made both him and Ianto start in surprise.

They both turned to look at Dexter who was giving them both a look that said they were really beginning to try his patience.

"That was from Arabella, she wants me to tell you she's not particularly impressed with the fact that the first thing she got to hear on her ears working again was you whining like a little bitch," Dexter said face completely blank.

Ianto stared at Dexter in amusement he couldn't believe he'd just said that, albeit it was a message from Arabella but it still sounded odd coming out of the older Pirask. Jack was looking like he'd just walked into a parallel world; he shook his head and knelt next to Arabella's bed taking her hand in his. "Bella can you hear me?" Jack asked.

"Yes," Dexter answered for her.

"I'm sorry, about everything. About the arguing, getting you shot, I just..." without even looking up from what he was reading Dexter brought his hand up and smacked Jack on the back of the head again.

"How much longer is she going to be unconscious, Ianto asked Dexter ignoring the almost pout Jack was now wearing as he rubbed the back of his head where he'd been thumped.

"If her senses are beginning to come back she'll probably wake up some time this afternoon, night time at the very latest." Dexter replied and it wasn't hard to miss the relief there in his eyes.

Ianto smiled squeezing his mentor's shoulder before holding his hand out to Jack, "Come on, I promised you a tour,"

Jack took Ianto's hand and let himself be pulled to his feet "Ianto I..."

"Don't make her make me hit you again," Dexter muttered, causing the two men to chuckle as they left the room and its occupants in peace.

--------------------------------

As Ianto led Jack down the hall Jack took a closer look at the young Welshman. Not only were there the slight physical differences he'd noticed earlier that morning but gone was the quiet man who could slip into the background. Now he was the confident Pirask Jack knew well. The man Ianto had kept hidden from the rest of the team since his change was now the man they all knew and Jack had to admit he was a touch relieved. He'd always wondered if his lover not quite fitting in with the others was because he hid himself so well or that the other's could tell he was hiding something. Suddenly something else occurred to Jack, which made him pause alerting Ianto to his scrutiny, "what is it?"

"Where's your suit?" Jack asked curiously taking in Ianto's jeans, t-shirt and jacket

"I was wondering when you'd notice, though I must say I didn't think it would take you this long."

"I've had a lot to take in this morning and I've been a little relieved just to be home again," Jack replied with a shrug.

Ianto lent forward and pressed a kiss to Jack's lips.

"It's easier not to have to worry about pressing a suit every morning and these days I need the freedom of movement more while I'm at work," Ianto shrugged "besides I thought you liked me in jeans," Ianto replied.

"Oh I do, trust me I do," Jack grinned and they continued to walk down the hall into the main area of the hub.

Jack stared around in awe. The main area of the hub was full of workstations, not just the four that had belonged to the team but seven more, a couple with people working away whom he'd never even seen before.

The tower had it's lower casing removed to reveal the rift manipulator and a few cables were running from it out to the workstations or further into the depths of the hub.

"When Saxon cut off the power to the country we needed a power source. Tosh and a few other's discovered a way to harness the power of the rift to run the hub," Ianto explained seeing where Jack was looking.

Jack was about to protest about the safety of using the rift for such a thing but stopped, he knew his team would have been careful about it and Tosh was as good as it got when it come these sorts of things. Jack watched as an elderly looking woman walked along the gangway and into what used to be the conference room and now looked like some sort of greenhouse.

"Come on," Ianto said heading for the stairs, he nodded in response to the 'sir's he got in greeting and Jack tried to ignore the curious and looks of awe he was receiving, normally he wouldn't mind but since he didn't know why he wasn't particularly comfortable with them, not that he'd ever show it.

They stepped into the conference room turned hot house and Jack looked around them, it was choked full of edible produce and the lady they'd seen enter earlier was carefully choosing a few leaves off what Jack recognized to be a peppermint plant.

"Morning Maggie," Ianto greeted as he walked over and pressed a kiss to her wrinkled cheek.

"Well no one expected to see you up so early this morning, particularly now you've got your Jack back," she chuckled watching as Ianto blushed a little throwing Jack a sideways look.

"So this is the infamous Captain Harkness? You're somewhat of a legend round here boy." she said turning a fond look in Jack direction, He smiled at her in return before looking curiously at Ianto.

"He's as handsome as you told me," she said looking back at Ianto who rolled his eyes before introducing the pair,

"Jack this is Maggie, she's Andy's mum and she runs the canteen and makes sure we're all eating properly while keeping track of the supplies," Ianto introduced.

"Canteen?" Jack asked confused.

Maggie chuckled and standing on her tiptoes pecked Jack quickly on the nose, surprising the Captain, "We'll get along just fine, you and me. But it sounds like Ianto's got some more explaining to do. When you've finished come to the Teen and I'll make you some peppermint tea," she said and with one last smile in Ianto's direction she made her way out of the hothouse.

"You've taken on a lot more staff," Jack said staring out the window and down onto the main hub where a few more people were filtering in and taking up places at the desks.

"Something like that," Ianto replied standing alongside his mate. "We've had to scavenge a lot of stuff after the attack but everything works close to perfect.'

"I should have noticed all the extra equipment this morning when we walked through. But my office was exactly as I left it so I'd just assumed the rest of the hub was as well," Jack said scanning the area.

"It was dark when we wandered through earlier so it's not really a surprise that you didn't notice. None of us even mentioned altering your office; it was sort of an unspoken agreement, though we've all been working out of there a little over the past two months. The Medical bay is another Hothouse for food produce and you saw we've opened up the medical wing downstairs this morning. What you didn't see though was that a few of the other rooms had occupants as well, all Toclafane injured, some are bedridden permanently," Ianto explained.

"Ianto just how many more people are down here?" Jack asked beginning to realize there was a lot more going on than an increase in staff like he'd first thought.

Ianto looked his mate straight in the eye before silently taking his hand and leading him further into the depths of the lower hub.

-------------------------------------

Ianto stopped them outside the large solid door that led to the lower levels of the hub, an area which they rarely used unless they needed extra cell space. After the first attack we realized people had nowhere to go where they would be safe. We gave them that. It's not much, but it's safe, dry and warm." Ianto said and with that he swung open the door and the pair made their way inside.

Jack stared in shock as Ianto led him down the tunnels, greeting people as he went. The cells had had the glass fronts removed and in their place hung curtains for privacy. Within each cell there were small sleeping quarters made up of mattresses, pillows and blankets. They weren't overly big but there was enough room for a couple to comfortably live and if they had kids they seemed to be in the cell next door. To one side on the cells most people had their possessions arranged, mostly clothes but some people have a few trinkets.

It was all very open but Jack supposed when the world had gone to hell, who was going to steal or vandalize things? When they got to the larger storage areas which were rooms similar to the one Ianto had hidden Lisa in, they'd been converted to common rooms, some people sat around talking or singing to a guitar being played. Some played cards or board games. Kids played things like hopscotch, marbles or skip rope where there was more room. One room even looked like it had been decked out as a classroom of sorts.

Eventually Ianto led Jack back up the stairs to the area they normally used. They passed the medical area and Jack could see a bit more activity now that people were waking and starting their work for the day.

They walked past the showers and Jack could see there had been privacy curtains put up and what looked like a showering roster stuck up on the door. Finally they reached the large kitchen that hadn't been used since the hub had been a submarine base during the wars and had been left empty until now. It was now full of people eating breakfast, Maggie waved at them from over the counter and Jack could see Rhys, Andy and a few others helping her prepare food in the kitchen.

Ianto moved through the crowd until he reached a table where, Gwen, Tosh, Owen, Taffy and to his surprise Martha's brother Leo, his fianc and son, whom Francine had showed him photos of, were already sitting.

Ianto pressed a kiss to his sister's forehead as they passed letting her know all was well again before they took a seat and Jack knew the other's were watching him as he stared around the room in awe.

This is what he loved about humanity, their ability to survive. The World had gone to total shit and it was dangerous to go outside but here underground, for those who had managed to find their way here they were living. Continuing life in the best way they could, not just in the sense that they were eating and sleeping, but they were making the best of it. Making friends, enjoying themselves, continuing to raise their families and while he knew there was no way they could save everyone, they had saved so many. His team.

Rhys came over with three bowls of porridge; he slid one each in front of Jack and Ianto before taking a seat beside Gwen with his own.

"So what does he think?" Rhys asked Ianto as Jack continued to scan the room.

Ianto chuckled, "I don't know he hasn't said anything since we entered the living areas."

Jack's attention snapped back to the table where he found them all smiling and watching him. "It's... How many people are there down here with you?" Jack finally spoke.

"A few of hundred. Not many, but we've saved as many as we can," Gwen replied.

"Incredible," Jack look at everyone sitting at the table with him "You're all so amazing. What's you've done it's... Just completely amazing," Jack smiled

Ianto took Jack's hand under the table and squeezed it gently, "I told you, you trained us well."

"No, who you are is how this came about. I just taught you the tools you needed to make it possible." Jack replied and they all smiled back at him before they settled down to a companionable breakfast together.


	19. Chapter 18

After breakfast everyone went to work like normal and Ianto decided it was time Jack met the rest of 'the team.'

First stop was the kitchen where Jack learnt that not only did Rhys and Andy help Maggie and the others in the kitchen, Rhys quite often went out on supply runs and Andy was more or less the PR officer for the people living down here in the hub with them.

Owen had another Doctor working with him called Tomas Milligan and six nurses, one of whom was Taffy. They'd had 13 casualties from the Toclafane that had been injured so severely that they were in need of permanent care. There were nine others who would make a full recovery, a few of them lived here in the hub but the others would go back to their families on the outside once they had recovered.

Gwen had moved her focus to helping Rhys keep the place supplied with anything they needed and keeping in contact with the families on the outside. Making sure they had any help they needed and Gwen and Andy's old police colleges were their 'agents' on the outside.

Tosh had gathered her own little tech team that she ran with two divisions. The smaller division monitored communications and kept in contact with various organizations around the world as well as exchanging information and spying on Saxon's movements. The larger division were developers, developing software, weapons, defensive techniques, power generators and anything else that could help them.

Ianto, Dexter, Arabella and Andre had become the 'field team' for lack of a better term. Being the ones who ran any dangerous errands, reconnaissance and rescue missions using their abilities to protect and give themselves the advantage they need to survive. The others would join them on some missions if their specific skills were required or a greater number was needed but most things fell to the non-human team.

All their old tasks of protecting the planet from alien treats now seemed irrelevant. Sol 3 was declared a no go zone so no one came by ship and anyone or anything that fell through the rift was destroyed by the Toclafane for fun even the few weevils who strayed to the surface these days were used as hunting sport.

Jack stood in his office staring out his window; the hub was a flurry of movement below him, never before had he seen the hub so full of people working. For a moment he had a memory flash of Torchwood Tower but quickly shrugged it off, these people were not anything like the drones of Torchwood One and his team was nothing like Yvonne Hartman. These people who had rallied together and helped his team create a sanctuary from the hell above them. These everyday people had become part of his team while he was away and they were all doing amazing things, surviving and thriving, protecting others.

------------------------------------

Tosh climbed the ladder that would take her into Myfanwy's nest near the roof of the Hub. She'd only been up here a few times and it was always with Ianto so there was a very good chance that Myfanwy would get upset about the arrival of yet another visitor.

Finally reaching the top of the ladder she stared at the sight before her. Andre sat near the mouth of the nest where Myfanwy was perched, her head lowered so it rested in Andre's lap as he scratched along her crest.

Myfanwy caught sight of her and let out a warning noise but Andre shushed her, speaking to her softly in French until she settled down again though one eye was firmly fixed on Tosh all the same. Andre held out his hand and she finished climbing into the nest walking slowly towards them she took a seat next to him mindful of Myfanwy's reaction but like when Ianto was around she merely kept an eye on her.

Andre took Tosh's hand without a word and placed it along side his. The addition of a new hand scratching her had Myfanwy preening and she slowly closed her eyes and relaxed again.

"How do you do that? Ianto and Jack are the only people she likes. She won't let the rest of us up here unless we're with Ianto and she certainly won't let us touch her." Tosh said making sure to keep her voice low and calm.

"Mutual respect between predators... she can smell me and my intentions better than she can humans, though Ianto and Jack she's learnt to trust through care. If the other Pirask decided to come up here she'd probably react the same to them." Andre replied

"With you being a..."

"Lycarth, we're called Lycarth. Like vampire legends are based off the Pirask, werewolf legends are based off the Lycarth. It's an extremely rare, recessive genetic trait that along the right family lines pops up every three or four generations. Except for my family, for some reason my father, younger sister and I all have it," Andre explained.

"I'm guessing werewolf legends are the same as vampire ones only a little bit true?" Tosh asked not sure just how much Andre was willing to tell her.

"As you've seen, I don't turn into a raging half-man, half-monster. I can change at will into the form of a wolf... ... It's a bit like having a split personality. The human side is my dominant personality though they are both part of who I am. I have my mind no matter which form I'm in but when I'm in wolf form I also have wolf instincts and behavioral patterns."

"If you have your human mind and traits in wolf form... how much of your wolf traits do you have in human form?" Tosh asked blushing slightly at Andre's smirk as her inner scientist came racing to the surface.

"Some. As you've seen I'm stronger, more agile and my reflexes are better, nowhere near a Pirask at full strength, but I can easily out do a human. What you haven't noticed is I'm colour blind, I can see in the dark and I maintain my wolf sense of smell and hearing. I also have something similar to pack loyalty and my instincts for survival are exceptional. That along with my faster healing, though you can't ass it happening like Jack or the Pirask. It's helped me stay alive as long as I have. We age but we do it very slowly, under the right conditions with no accidents I could live to be 1,000." Andre finished explaining and the pair sat in silence thinking, the only sound in the nest is Myfanwy preening softly.

"Your pack loyalty, it's to Zenia isn't it?" Tosh asked as a few things she'd seen or heard in the past became clearer.

"Zenia has been a good friend of mine for a very long time. We were almost together together but it just felt weird and then she met Ifan. My loyalty expanded to Dexter, Arabella and Jack a long time ago but it's recently included Ianto and Ifan... And now you." Andre admitted causing Tosh to blush.

"I would have understood you know," Tosh said after a short amount of time.

"Maybe," Andre shrugged.

"You saw when I found out about Ianto why did you think you would be different?" Tosh asked a little annoyed that Andre didn't believe her.

"Ianto's your best friend. Besides it's not as if you didn't have a inkling that he was special, you told me that yourself. I'm the guarded, silent stranger you've only known for a few months," Andre replied.

Tosh stared at him for a moment as he continued to watch Myfanwy. Reaching a hand out she caught his chin, lifting it so he was looking at her she lent forward and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. Pulling back she almost laughed at his stunned expression.

"Come on, the other's will be looking for us." She smiled; this was no place to have the conversation she knew they would need to have but they would, and soon.

------------------------------------

Ianto walked over and wrapped his arms around Jack's waist from behind. "Penny for your thoughts?" Ianto asked

Jack just smiled, "You know what I'm thinking,"

Jack had sensed his lover's gentle push at his mind and had no problem dropping his barriers. Sometimes it was easier to let Ianto see what he was thinking rather than having to find the words to say.

"Hmm, I'm a little insulted that you just called me one of Yvonne's drones, even if it was only by default." Ianto replied and Jack started a little as Ianto's stubble lightly scratched his neck, he'd have to get used to that.

"You wouldn't be here with me if you were one of her drones," Jack replied.

"Are we going to have to go through a whole 'honeymoon period' with you two?" Owen grumbled, even going so far as to make air quotes with his fingers, though there was a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. Gwen elbowed him in the ribs as Ianto released Jack and the pair turned to see Owen, Gwen, Rhys and Andy standing in the doorway of his office.

"Where's Tosh?" Jack asked; he wanted them all there to talk about what they were going to do next. He would have preferred Dexter and Arabella be here but Ari was still stuck in bed and Dexter needed to be kept out of the loop for a little while. The man was too stubborn for his own good, the sword injury would need a lot longer to heal since it was made with a silver blade. If he were to be involved with their plans he would try and do too much stunting his healing. No it was easier to leave the older Pirask out of the loop for the time being for his own benefit.

"She went looking for Andre," Owen snorted flopping down onto the couch.

"I don't know why she'd bother, he spent all this time lying to us," Gwen grumbled crossing her arms. "We've all been honest and open recently so we could build up trust with each other to help us get through this hell but..."

"He never lied Gwen, we all knew there was something different about him," Rhys said cutting her off

"You all just assumed he was a Pirask," Ianto stated leaning back on the desk behind him.

"Yeah well he came in with the others so it was an easy mistake," Owen shrugged pretending to be less bothered by it than he probably was.

"Didn't any of you ask Andre about himself?" Jack asked.

"I'm not sure if you've noticed but the guy's not exactly Mr. Sociable," Andy replied.

"Ok so he didn't lie, so what! Keeping a secret that big still puts a dampener on people's trust." Gwen replied trying to reason her feelings of betrayal with a logic that wasn't quite connecting up. Jack and Owen tensed as Ianto looked Gwen steadily in the eye. She paused as what she said slowly sunk in and paled slightly, guilt washing over her features, "Oh Ianto I'm sorry, I didn't mean..."

"We've all kept secrets Gwen, all of us," Ianto said and making sure Rhys wasn't looking he flicked his eyes meaningfully at Owen. Gwen swallowed nervously and broke eye contact looking away ashamed of her own secrets. Owen shifting slightly in his seat. Andy who'd seen the exchanged raised a curious eyebrow but said nothing.

"Gwen go find Tosh and Andre, I'd like them here for this too." Jack said and the Welshwoman quickly moved out leaving the room in a slightly uncomfortable silence. The men left in the room settled down to wait none knowing quite what to say to each other after the confrontation between Gwen and Ianto. Ianto went back to looking out the window and Jack lent with his back to the glass looking at Ianto's face.

_She didn't mean it like that. _Jack said mentally not feeling the need to have this conversation in front of the others, particularly Rhys and Andy.

_I know _Ianto replied eyes' flicking to meet Jacks before his attention was drawn back out the window.

_I thought she'd gotten better while I was gone. She seems less self-focused and less likely to put her foot in her mouth, _Jack mused.

_She's getting better, a lot better. What's happened has changed all of us; Tosh is so much more confident and sure of herself. Owen is less bitter and more able to connect with people which, much as I hate to admit it Taffy seems to be the main reason for that. Gwen is more aware of those around her. Rhys and Andy no longer need to compete with Torchwood and I can be myself with them all. But we all slip back into old habits every now and again. _Ianto explained using the window to watch the three men behind him as well as Gwen as she made her way through the hub in search of Tosh and Andre.

Gwen paused as she looked up towards Myfanwy's nest. In a move that could be seen across the hub Gwen squared her shoulders and started up the ladder.

Jack reached out and trailed a hand down Ianto's arm before intertwining their fingers. _And me?_

As Gwen climbed Myfanwy swooped out of her nest and screeched at the Welshwoman. Gwen jumped in shock scrambling back down the ladder though she continued to look up. As Ianto watched he saw Tosh and Andre appear from the nest and start making their way down the ladder, Gwen waiting down the bottom for them.

Ianto moved so he was leaning back into Jack's chest smiling at him his lover through their reflections.

_You're not afraid to be with me in front of the others. You're not afraid to show the other's how you feel about me or about them. You've realized it's not worth hiding how you feel when time can tear everything apart. _Ianto replied squeezing Jack's hand enjoying the few quiet moments. Because soon they would have to get back to work.


	20. Chapter 19

"How long's that been going on?" Owen asked and everyone in the room turned to look at the doctor in confusion.

"What?" Ianto asked turning from the window and leaning back against it next to Jack.

"The telepathy, how long have you been able to do that?" Owen asked. Jack and Ianto exchanged looks not sure what to say. Rhys and Andy exchanged looks thinking the doctor had gone out of his mind.

Owen sighed and sat up still looking at the two men "I'm not blind, all your body language and gestures say you're having a conversation, you're even nodding and smiling at each other for god's sake and neither of you are saying a word. So the only explanation is telepathy."

Jack looked at Ianto and shrugged leaving the decision in the younger man's hands.

"It's part of our mate bond, at first it was only feelings and a word or two but over the last two months it's been steadily getting stronger and stronger," Ianto explained meeting the doctor's gaze challenging him to say something negative about them.

"So you two can talk to each other mentally? In your heads?" Andy asked receiving an eye roll from Owen.

"We can now, yes," Jack nodded.

"And I though you two couldn't get any more odd," Rhys grinned and the room erupted into relaxed laughter.

"Oi what are you lot on about?" Gwen asked walking in the door with Tosh and Andre not far behind her.

"Did you know these two are telepathic?" Owen asked pointing to the two men

"What?!" Gwen blurted at the same time as Tosh and Andre responded "Yes,"

Gwen spun around to stare at Tosh in surprise. "I figured out Ianto was telepathic the same day we learnt about him being a Pirask and with Jack it was just an assumption since he's from the future," Tosh explained with a shrug. Ignoring the surprised and amused looks she was receiving she grabbed Andre by the wrist and led him further into the room. The other's seemed to take that as their cue because everyone took a seat around the room.

"No Dexter and Arabella?" Andre asked.

"Arabella's still bed ridden, she should be up in a few hours but even then she should be resting and Dexter's wound is going to take a while to heal. If we keep them out of any planning for a while they're more likely to make a full recovery," Jack explained taking a seat at his desk enjoying the familiar feel as Ianto stood just behind his right shoulder.

"Does anyone know what's happening with Martha?" Jack asked slipping straight into his role as leader. The groups briefly exchanged looks, they had been running everything as a democracy, each of them in charge of their own specialized area and coming together to make the big decisions It would take a while to get used it again but at the same time it was a relief to have their leader back.

"Martha's traveling the world on foot, she's still got her perception key and the Toclafane can't see her. She's also got Zenia and Ifan to protect her," Gwen explained.

"I've been able to contact her through your vortex manipulator; she's doing ok, under the circumstances she's really worried about her family, that's why we went and found Leo, brought him back here where he would be safe," Ianto said perching himself on the edge of Jack's desk.

"Yeah, when exactly did you give tea-boy here a special PDA?" Owen asked though the nickname no longer held the same malice it once had and Ianto's answering smirk spoke volumes about how much their friendship had developed.

"It was his Christmas present, why? Are you jealous Owen?" Jack smirked .

"As if," Owen snorted in reply.

"Right then, we need to come up with something that can help Martha. Something that will put the fear in Saxon while she does what the Doctor's asked her to," Jack continued

"I thought we wanted this bastard dead?" Rhys asked glancing around the room, the venom in his voice startling Jack a little, but Ianto had already told him how he'd been on his way to bring his parents in and found them, in their car on the side of the road, slaughtered by the Toclafane.

"If we can come up with a way to defeat the bastard before the Doctor's plan comes to pass we will." Jack said and everyone nodded or muttered something in agreement. "For now though we need to help Martha. So, anyone have any ideas?"

The team all had a few ideas and soon things were being thrown around the room, discussed and either cast aside or written down by Ianto for one of them to look into further.

--------------------------------------

A few days later Tosh was busy working on her computer helping a few of her team members try to hack into what was left of the governments secure files when a signal trying to break through caught her attention.

Opening the channel she quickly traced back the source and was surprised to see Andre's com ID appear on the screen, especially since she knew he was still within the hub somewhere.

"Hello?" came a tentative voice on the other end, one Tosh didn't recognize.

"Who's this?" Tosh asked wary that it could be some sort of trick.

"My names Tish, Latisha Jones, I'm trying to get a hold of Torchwood." The voice answered sounding a little more sure of itself that it previously had.

"Tish, Martha's sister?" Tosh asked both excited and relieved signaling for John, her closest Techie to go and fetch Jack.

There was a pause on the other end and Tosh could hear the murmuring of a background conversation before a new voice came through the com channel. "This is Francine Jones, are we talking to Torchwood or aren't we."

Tosh blinked in surprise. The woman's tone making Tosh feel like she should instantly do as she's told. A reaction that until now Tosh believed only her mother, and maybe Jack could invoke in her.

"This is Torchwood. I'm just getting Jack for you," Tosh said replied and she could practically hear the smug satisfaction from the woman on the other end as she thanked her.

Jack dashed down the stairs to Tosh's station.

"Who is it?" Jack asked the minute he got there leaning on the desk next to Tosh so his face was level with hers, one hand on the back of her chair.

"Jack!" came Francine's relieved voice through the speakers of Tosh's computer

"Are you alright?" Jack asked making sure he was close enough to the microphone to be picked up since he wasn't wearing his own com device.

"We're fine. Because we were still in our cell they decided we had nothing to do with it. The Master and Miss Dexter took all their anger out on the guards there's hardly any of the original ones left, they killed almost all of them," Francine explained.

"At least they didn't take it out on you," Jack sighed in relief.

"How's Martha? Please Jack tell me she's still okay," The mother's worry clear in her voice.

"She's doing okay, all things considering. She's got two Pirask with her for protection and we've come up with a plan to help her in her quest. We found some things in the archive we can use as props and we'll spread a story, a story about a gun that can kill a time lord spread across the world in parts. It should keep the Master off the trail of what she's really doing," Jack reassured her and there was a moment as Francine relayed what Jack had said to Tish and Clive in the background.

"Jack, promise me she'll be okay," Clive's gruff voice came through the speaker.

"I promise I will do everything in my power to keep her safe," Jack swore.

"Thank you, we have to go, the guards will be coming back soon," Clive said and Jack could just make out Tish and Francine telling him to hurry in the background.

"Look after them Clive and call if you need anything, we'll keep an ear open," Jack promised before the audible click echo through the speaker signaling that the com had been switched off. Jack sighed dropping his head slightly in defeat.

"You ok?" Tosh asked squeezing his hand.

"Yeah, I just wish we could have got them out as well," Jack replied.

"We tried Jack. They'll be ok, and we'll get Saxon and fix everything," Tosh assured him though Jack wondered if she actually believed what she was saying.

Jack pressed a kiss to Tosh's forehead in thanks before turning and walking back towards his office.

"Jack? Where's Ianto? I need his help with something," Owen asked walking out from one of the hallways with a file in his hand, Gwen beside him carrying some sort of device.

"He's down in the training room with Dexter and Arabella, they're testing how well Dexter's recovery's going before the supply run tomorrow," Jack said, the silence that met his drew his attention and he looked up to see Gwen, Owen and Tosh exchanging confused looks.

"What training room?" Gwen asked.

Jack raised a confused eyebrow, "I thought you would have seen it by now. Arabella said they've been training regularly since I left with the Doctor,"

"Jack is this room in the hub right, because it's too dangerous to be going outside for training?" Owen said frowning at the thought of just how many times the three of them had vanished together in the past few months.

"It's in the lower levels of the hub," Jack replied crossing his arms, why would Ianto keep that a secret from them. They knew about him being a Pirask and he was pretty sure they'd seen him use his abilities more than once so why hide something like this?

"There's nothing on the schematics about a training room," Tosh said typing away at her computer where she'd already pulled up the blueprints.

"It's not on the plans. I only finished building it a few weeks before I left," Jack said.

The trio stared at him various emotions across their faces "You built him a training room?" Gwen asked a touch of envy in her voice.

Jack just crossed his arms and stared at them, it didn't take them long to get the hint that they weren't going to get any more answers from him.

"Come on I'll take you down there, you should probably know where it is anyway," Jack said heading down the corridor that lead into the depths on the hub.

Owen, Gwen and Tosh exchanged looks before following after him. They walked past the medical wing, where Taffy was standing there talking to the sister of one of their permanent care patients. She looked up curiously as Jack strolled past giving her a wink, followed closely by the other three. She was just about out ask what was going on when Owen reached out and grabbed her hand dragging her along with him.

They walked further into the depths of the hub, past the 'village' as Jack had come to call the underground sanctuary, past the back entrance to the archives, the generators, storage and cells until they were so deep into the hub that none of them knew how to get back to the main area without Jack's help. Finally they came to a large solid door.

"This is it?" Owen asked voice full of doubt.

"What on Earth did you walk all the way down here in the dark for?" came a voice behind them and they turned to see Andy and Rhys standing behind them.

"What are you doing down here?" Gwen asked moving up to her boyfriend.

"Wondering the same about you guys, you all looked so intent on your 'mission' when you swept past the kitchen we were curious," Rhys replied taking Gwen's hand in his.

"So what's behind the big creepy door? Some spooky-do thing?" Andy asked.

Jack smirked pressing his hand to the scanner beside the door listening as the lock beeped in recognition and the door began to swing open.


	21. Chapter 20

The sounds of fighting were the first things to drift through the doorway as it steadily swung open. As Jack swung the door open he could hear the audible gasps behind him. The Pirask were in fine form, going all out in their training session. The drones buzzed around the firing the odd laser as the three Pirask spared. Their movements were often too fast to see, the sounds of the blows they dealt to each other could be heard from the other side of the warehouse sized room, some of them even echoing around the space. They weren't just on ground level either, they often flipped up onto the other levels and beams without even pausing in their sparing.

Andre was off to the side watching the action playing out before him. He was shirtless and covered in sweat, a water bottle clutched in one hand, almost empty, he'd obviously been training with the other three until they'd decided to up the level past him.

"Oh my lord," Gwen whispered and Jack couldn't help grinning back at his stunned followers.

"You've seen them use their abilities before haven't you?" Jack asked knowing full well that they must have seen them in the past few months, either on missions or if nothing else when they came to rescue him.

"Not like this," Tosh replied watching the action as closely as possible. Jack could already see she was over her initial shock. Tosh's ability to take on what she saw and accept, especially in regards to those she cared about, was one of the things Jack loved about her.

Andre spotted them over by the door and with a slight nod gestured for them to join him in the sitting area, which still contained all the cushions and blankets Jack had chosen and placed there when he'd first built the room.

"I didn't even know this place existed," Owen said flopping down onto the cushions as everyone took a seat where they could see the action still playing out above them.

"If I remember rightly, until we opened it up to form the living areas the only rooms on the levels this low down were empty," Tosh explained leaning back slightly so her shoulder was pressed against Andre.

Jack glanced at the pair and smiled, he was happy that they had managed to find someone, something good in a time like this and they did make the cutest couple.

"Ianto and I were the only ones who came down here after I built it. Then Ari, Dex and Andre came down later." Jack replied watching as his mate gracefully moved around the room with his two oldest friends.

"Why did you build all this?" Gwen asked but Jack didn't feel the need to answer her so he simply continued to watch the fight, he could feel Andre's eyes burning into him and he glanced over to find the other man smiling at him.

"Was this what I think it was?" Andre asked, Jack felt his ears burn and not for the first time, he was grateful he could stop himself blushing, a trick he'd had to learn as a conman.

Andre however could smell his embarrassment and chuckled his older friend. Tosh looked between the two men curiously before she turned to Andre for answers. Jack sighed knowing that if his suspicions were correct Andre would tell Tosh just to make her happy. Jack refused to look at the others when he answered but he knew it would be more embarrassing for them to hear it from Andre.

"It was a courtship present for Ianto, when I asked him to become my mate," Jack replied and noticed with some amusement that the entire group had fallen deathly silent behind him and were probably now staring at him in shock. Jack realized he actually didn't care so he just kept his eyes locked on his mate seeing just how much Ianto had improved in his absence.

After a while Owen was the one to break the silence. "You know Dexter's sword wound still hasn't healed properly. He shouldn't be out there with the other two. They're fully healed but he's supposed to be taking it easy."

Jack frowned in concern and focused as hard as he could on the fight for a moment before turning back to look at Owen, "He's not actually fighting. Arabella and Ianto are sparing and Dexter is just staying close to them, instructing them."

"He still shouldn't be out there," Owen scowled.

"I'm not his father," Jack shrugged.

"Thank you for your concern Dr Harper, but I'm fine," Dexter's voice made them all jump, including Andre and Jack as he seemed to appear beside them, Arabella and Ianto landing behind him a moment later.

Jack stared at the bare chest of his mate as he walked over and sat beside him.

"Enjoying the view?" Ianto asked smiling gratefully at Andre as he passed them all large glasses of blood.

"Naturally," Jack replied leaning back with a leer.

"Don't you ever stop?" Andy asked trying not to look at the blood. He had accepted a lot in the last few months, almost nothing freaked him out and while he accepted that the Pirask had to drink blood to survive he still felt a little queasy actually watching them do so.

"You get used to it after a while," Arabella said taking a seat with Dexter leaning into his embrace carefully.

"I doubt that somehow. If you turn that flirting onto me captain there'll be hell to pay!"

"Now Andy, you must know how much I love a good Welsh accent, especially when it's attached to a cute Welshman," Jack smirked.

"Oi, enough of that!" Andy protested looking a little uncomfortable.

_Leave him alone you bully._

Jack turned smiling back at Ianto who rolled his eyes in return before leaning down and meeting Jack's lips in a chaste kiss.

"So, is there a reason you lot decided to invade our training session?" Arabella asked looking between the members of the group who were arranged rather comfortably in the small cushion area.

"Don't look at me, I got grabbed and dragged down here, I have no idea," Taffy shrugged.

"We needed to talk to you, when we couldn't find you Jack lead us down here. The group just kind of grew as we went," Tosh replied smiling in apology.

Jack frowned as something finally occured to him, _Ianto, why didn't you tell them about this place?_

There was a slight pause before Ianto decided to answer, _This was ours. Something between the two of us, you built it and we became Mates here. I wasn't comforatble showing them, It wasn't like Ari, Dex and Andre they understood but the others didn't even know about us. Plus I wasn't sure if you wanted them to know about this so we just kept it from them. _Ianto explained

_Do you mind that they're here? We can retcon them you know._ Jack suggested and he could feel Ianto's amusement surge.

_I don't mind. All my reasons for not telling them are gone, besides they might enjoy it, they might need the sanctuary down here as much as I do these days._

Jack sqeezed Ianto's hand where it was in his breifly in understanding before turning his attention back to what was happening around them.

"Well we would have needed to speak to everyone at some point so we might as well just get it all over and done with now," Jack grinned casually slipping am arm around Ianto's waist. Ianto leant back into the embrace; the move was second nature to the men in their private life and was quickly becoming just as comfortable in front of the team now that they all knew.

Everyone was now curiously waiting for Jack to continue, knowing that something must have developed in their plan for them to all be called together.

"Tosh would you like to do the honours?" Jack asked deliberately stringing things out. He barely managed to duck the pillow Arabella flung in his direction, though Ianto calming caught it and propped it behind his lower back to make himself more comfortable.

"Stop arseing about Harkness," Owen grumbled and Jack rolled his eyes at the Doctor not taking any offense at his abrupt manner.

"Ok, Tosh and her team have finished work on the gun, I've talked to Martha and we've set up locations and rough time to meet there, depending on how fast she thinks she can travel. Zenia and Ifan are still with her, which helps her progress. Each group will be paired up with a one of the team and Pirask or Andre so we all stand the best chances of getting there and back." Jack explained and the others all nodded in understanding.

"So who are in the groups?" Rhys asked

"Ianto and Dexter will take the first piece to San Diego since they'll have to be able to move quickly to meet Martha as soon as possible, we don't want her staying in one place too long. Andre and Tosh will take the second piece to Budapest. Gwen and Arabella the third to Beijing and Owen and I will take the fourth piece up to London. If everything goes to plan she won't need the fourth piece anyway but we'll put it in place just in case," Jack continued.

"What about the rest of us?" Taffy asked

"The rest of you are needed right where you are, keeping everything here running, especially if a few of us are going to be missing for periods of time to get the pieces to Martha," Ianto explained having already discussed most of this with Jack when they had initially worked out the teams, though just how he'd managed to become the second in command he wasn't quite sure.

"I assumed that's why Jack and I are the ones who aren't going any further than London. I'm needed here too much, a trip to London is coverable in the medical wing but not if we go further and I'm away for too long." Owen realized squeezing Taffy's hand slightly to try and both reassure and calm her. He knew she wanted to help more, but there was only so much their 'civilian' friends could do before they were putting themselves in too much danger.

"Exactly, and I'm not going any further because I'm already a prime target for Saxon so it's best to make my trip as short as possible," Jack replied.

"And there was no possible way you were being left out," Gwen teased and everyone smiled at that since they all knew exactly how true her statement was.

"Anyway," Jack replied though he was smiling as well. "Does any one have any questions, need anything clarified etc?"

"How are you traveling? It's not like you can just hop aboard a plane anymore," Andy asked.

"The same way as Martha, on foot or hitching a ride with the supply transport that Saxon's still allowing to move. The only way to cross the water is by supply boat. We're just lucky that his grand scheme to destroy the galaxy needs supplies and people to build it," Jack explained though the last bit came out as a growl.

"Andre and I can carry Tosh and Gwen to make the travels faster and we'll be there as extra protection if they need it. If we're careful though we should be able to move around fairly unnoticed since Saxon and the Toclafane all think we're dead, no ones going to be looking for us," Arabella added.

"It's a long way to travel carrying us, are you sure you're going to be ok?" Tosh asked glancing between Arabella and Andre.

"I'll make sure I take enough food to keep my energy up and Arabella, Dexter and Ianto will all be carrying a supply on Blood for themselves. If worse comes to worse we can always hunt to feed ourselves," Andre explained softly to Tosh.

Rhys was just about to comment on what they would be hunting but Gwen's elbow in his ribs cut him off. One look at his wife told him she knew exactly what he was about to say and he'd better not mention it, so he stayed quiet.

"I was wondering though, how have you guys been keeping up the blood supplies, not only for the injured but for your three to feed off?" Jack asked looked at Dexter, knowing as the leader of the Pirask Coverent it was his responsibility to make sure his people were always fed.

"We all raided the closest hospitals and blood banks when everything was shut down. As the Pirask on the outside have run out they've had to resort back to feeding though most of them have friend or family who are giving them blood voluntarily. Down here all the residents who are healthy enough give blood once a week, it's enough to keep the three of us fed, the hospital stocked and there's always some backed up from when we need to feed more due to missions," Dexter explained.

Arabella smiled, "Everyone who gives blood knows why and yet they don't mind. We gave them the choice even that if they wanted they could say their blood was only for medical purposes but now one has."

"The world goes to hell and little things like sexism, racism, whether you're human, alien or hybrid; it doesn't matter anymore, because we're all stuck in it together," Ianto replied.


	22. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

* * *

Martha kept her head down as she moved amongst the ruins of San Diego, there wasn't much left of the city. The Master and the Toclafane were already having people tearing down the larger building for materials to build the rockets in the fields just south of the city. Movement behind her made her pause slightly but glancing over her shoulder there was a flash of movement almost too fast for the eye to see, which meant only one thing.

The noise was now beside her and she turned to find Zenia and Ifan crouched next to her, eyes glittering silver in the dull lights.

"How long until we meet up with Dexter and Ianto?" Martha hissed making sure to keep her voice down as a trio of Toclafane hovered past them.

"Not for another few hours," Ifan replied.

Martha glanced at the younger Pirask; he looked a little pale.

"When was the last time you guys fed?" Martha asked glancing between Ifan and Zenia, Ifan wouldn t meet her gaze but Zenia had no problem.

"We'll be fine," Zenia replied.

"That s not an answer," Martha sighed, "It's been too long; you need to feed don't you?"

"We'll get you to safety soon," Ifan said scanning the area around them.

"There's a settlement around the block, they should be able to offer me shelter while you two go and hunt," Martha said then frowned a little when she didn't get a response from the other two, "what is it?"

"There aren't any of Saxon's followers around this area, we don't have anyone to feed on," Ifan replied.

The three companions fell quite as they tried to come up with a solution. Ifan and Zenia had made a silent pact; they would not hunt or feed from anyone living out her under Saxon's rule. Saxon either worked people to the bone or hunted them for sport, no one needed to be weak from blood loss. But those who turned against their own people to save themselves by working for that monster were fair game.

It was disappointing just how many people had turned and followed Saxon, but it did give the pair a food source almost everywhere they went as Saxon always had people and spies floating around. The spies were impossible to tell from everyday people, they worked and lived amongst everyone else but luckily for the Pirask Saxon was no fool, he marked his spies so they couldn't hide from him. Each was tagged with a chemical marker and the Pirask could smell it on them from a mile away.

"Dexter and Ianto will have blood on them and I m sure they won t mind sharing," Ifan reasoned

"Will you both be alright until then?" Martha asked.

"As long as we don t run into any trouble we should be fine," Zenia replied.

Ifan nodded in agreement as he continued to search the area. Martha may have been practically invisible to the Toclafane when she stayed still, but he and Zenia were clear targets and they needed to get undercover, preferably in the safe house in the next block. "The coast is clear. Let's go."

* * *

Owen stepped out of the depths of the hub and into the main area; his head nurse seemed to be missing which is why he'd ventured from the medical area in the middle of his shift. Scanning the area he could see Tosh's team hard at work, Tosh herself was scanning through a bunch of data, Andre perched in a chair nearby. He still wasn't entirely sure about the surly Lycarth but he seemed to be making Tosh happy so for the moment that was enough for him and Gwen, who seemed to share his opinion of the man.

He spotted the woman he'd been looking for sitting on the couch next to Jack, both holding cups of coffee wearing near identical expressions of anxious worry. Frowning Owen looked down at his watch to see it was later than he thought and Taffy's disappearance suddenly became blaringly obvious. Ianto and Dexter were due to meet Martha any minute now and the moment they did they were supposed to make contact with the hub to let them know everything was okay.

An interesting arguments erupted in the hub before the men had left as Jack decided that he and Ianto didn't need to be seperated since he could go along with them. He didn't want to be separated again after only just finding each other but both knew it was safer for Jack to stay in Cardiff under Saxon's radar a little longer. It had taken Ianto a fair bit of coaxing but eventually Jack had bent to his Mate's reasoning.

They had all noticed that Jack had become a little... dependant on Ianto.

When Tosh had mentioned it to Dexter, he assured her that Jack just needed to find his balance again and then he would lose the reliance but they all knew that the open relationship between their Captain and the tea-boy wouldn t be going back into the closest anytime soon though.

Owen was happy for his friends even if he wouldn t allow himself to show it. For some reason people, especially their stubborn team, respected him and listened to him a lot more as a Doctor when he was a grouchy bastard. The persona had been his defensive mechanism after Katie's death, he'd even relapsed into it when Diane left, now it was more of an act he could use to get his own way.

Walking up to the couch he instantly had the attention of the pair on the couch.

"Taffy, Mrs. Muset is fussing about her meds again and she won't talk to anyone but you," Owen explained glancing at the clipboard in his hand as if he wasn t aware of what was happening and was just getting on with his job. It wasn t a total lie, Mrs. Muset _was _being a nuisance and Taffy _was_ the only one who seemed to get through to her, but she wasn't asking for Taffy and the meds weren't really a problem, she could take them later.

"Oh, ah Owen I was just waiting for Ianto to call," Taffy replied and Jack just sat there and watched the pair curiously.

"I'll stay here and come and get you as soon as the call comes in," Owen replied making sure she didn't catch his eye. She'd know he was up to something if she did.

"Alright," Taffy said frowning slightly and looking so much like her brother; she knew something was going on but she didn't know what. Getting up she walked past Owen her hand brushing his shoulder out of habit.

Owen took her seat on the couch next to Jack. One of Tosh's little flunkies scuttled over and handed him a coffee before quickly taking off in another direction much to Owen's amusement. He could feel Jack s eyes burning into him but he focused on his coffee, it wasn't a patch on Ianto's but it was drinkable at least.

"Are you going to tell me what that was all about?" Jack asked.

Owen glanced briefly at the man beside him, "What?"

"Why'd you want Taffy out of here when Ianto calls?" Jack pushed.

"Because she doesn't need to be here if the news isn't good," Owen replied.

"Owen, I haven't sensed anything from Ianto, I'm sure it's all fine and we're worrying for nothing," Jack replied placing his empty cup on the table.

"You're the one who told me that your bond is restricted by distance. When the Valiant wasn't over the UK all you could feel was fuzzy echoes of strong feelings, I'm assuming nothing's changed?" Owen said.

"It doesn't matter how far apart we are, the bond would snap if he was killed, I can still feel him," Jack replied but both men were thinking the same thing, even if he was alive, it didn't necessarily mean he was okay.

They sat in companionable silence for a while just watching the movement of Tosh's team. This level of the hub had become their domain and while there was a few people who still came up here for whatever reason most stayed out of the way so the team could work.

"So you and Taffy, huh?" Jack said finally breaking the silence.

Owen just turned to look at the man beside him in disbelief, "Are we really going to have this conversation?"

"She's Ianto's sister. Would you rather have the conversation with me or her protective twin?" Jack smirked as Owen snorted and flopped back into the couch.

"It's not like that," Owen finally said and Jack looked up at him in surprise.

"It certainly looks that way," Jack admitted and Owen snorted.

"It looked like you and Gwen were shagging at one point but have you ever?" Owen retorted.

"No," Jack replied instantly.

"There you go then," Owen smirked, "We're friend that's all. After Venn she needed someone."

"Someone who understood," Jack nodded in understanding, "like you do because of Katie and Diane." Owen didn't answer he simply nodded.

"Your friendship with her seems to be helping you as well." Jack added after a moment.

"I guess I needed a friend who understood as well," Owen replied staring into his coffee.

The two men sat in comfortable silence.

"I understand you know," Jack said finally and he did he d lost many lovers in his life, a handful of which meant a great deal to him.

"I know," Owen replied not feeling the need to say more, Jack had been the one to help him after Katie's death and later with Diane, but there was only so much a man could do, even one he considered a brother; Owen had needed that second helping hand from a female to balance Jack's help.

Jack glanced at his friend from the corner of his eyes trying to read if there was anything more from his face but Jack was relieved to see only honest, though slightly guarded emotions on his doctor's face, "So, maybe later on..."

"Don't go there Harkness, It's not going to happen. She's a friend, probably my best friend if you want to put a label on it, now would you drop it?" Owen growled though there was no malice or real annoyance behind it just their usual banter.

"I'll inform Ianto to put away the bowing knife then," Jack teased.

Owen was just about to retort when a crackling sound came from Tosh's station catching all their attention.

The only form of communication between them and Martha was the connection between Jack's wrist strap and Ianto's PDA, which meant the Welshman had had to leave his PDA behind, plugged into Tosh's workstation where is would mostly likely remain for the foreseeable future. This had irritated both Jack and Ianto but they both knew that the team at the Hub needed the connection to Martha.

"This is Nightingale calling the Hub. Do you read me?" Martha's voice came clearly through the speakers of Tosh's computer and Jack and Owen leapt to their feet heading to Tosh's station.

"It's them," Tosh said needlessly because both men were already standing behind her.


	23. Chapter 22

Ianto and Dexter weaved their way through the wreckage that had once been a city and now resembled a graveyard with the building looking like they are about to fall down around them. Saxon and the Toclafane had hit all the major cities hard making them near unliveable unless you went underground or found a building that wasn't at risk of falling on you while you slept.

A group of Toclafane were swooping around ahead teasing a dog as they shot their lasers around it having it run in different directions.

Ianto grit his teeth in annoyance. Dexter saw the action and frowned at the younger man, grabbing by the arm and hauling him into a nearby crevice in the rubble where they wouldn't be seen. Once they were covered her still didn't release his grip in case Ianto decided to go out there and do something about it.

"At least it's not a human," Dexter whispered glancing at the scene once more before turning away in disgust.

"That doesn't make it any better," Ianto snapped back yanking his arm free.

"I never said it did," Dexter replied slumming down into a sitting position to wait out the Toclafane's game so they could continue on. He'd seen many wars and a lot of cruel things happen in them both to humans and animals alike. No one deserved what happened to them but there was little they could do. Even if they both went out there now, they would only give their position away to Saxon and get cut up in the process meaning they would need more blood than they had brought with them. The only real way they could stop these things from happening was to stop the war and that's what this was. It was a war with Saxon and they were the weaker defense, but it didn't mean they were going to stop trying.

Five minutes later the dog yelped and fell silent.

-----------------------

After an hour both Pirask had drunk a pint, rested a little and the Toclafane had finally gotten bored with the area and left.

"So now that we're here, how exactly are we going to find the others?" Ianto asked peering out from their hiding place to be sure it really was clear for them to move.

"Follow our noses," Dexter replied as if it were the most basic thing in the world.

"Follow our noses?" Ianto repeated silver eyes catching the light slightly as he peered back at Dexter.

"Why are you sounding so skeptical, you use all your senses when you go weevil hunting with Jack or hunting with us in the forest behind the house, why would this be any different?" Dexter asked

"Because it's people, our friends… I don't know," Ianto trailed off.

"You've been a Pirask for a year now and you're still not used to it?" Dexter said both as a statement and a bit of a question.

"I may have been a Pirask for a year but I was a human for over twenty, so forgive me for still thinking with a human perspective and limitation," Ianto snarked back, making Dexter chuckle;, he had come to appreciate the younger man's sense of humour and snark over the last few months.

"So which way are they?" Dexter prompted, ever the teacher.

Ianto frowned "I don't know, I've never consciously smelt them before I'm not sure what the scent is like."

"You know my and Arabella's scents from your training?"

"Yeah."

"There's something similar about our scents, think about it and work it out. That is the Rask in us; you should be able to find the others through the Rask in their blood even if you don't recognize the individual," Dexter explained inhaling and after a few seconds he'd found the scent himself so he'd know if Ianto got it right.

Ianto was quiet as he concentrated, "I can smell five. I think…"

"Which way?" Dexter asked moving up beside Ianto at the entrance.

"One goes that way," Ianto said pointing down to the left.

Dexter nodded, "Yep, but that's not them; if my memory is right that is Terrance. He's Marcus and my contact here and is running around trying to keep up supplies to the refugee camps."

"Two are from down there, but that's our trail," Ianto said pointing back the way we came and Dexter nodded in agreement even though the younger man still had his eyes closed and couldn't see him.

"There are two that way, I think. But one smells different to the other, weaker…" Ianto said frowning as he opened his eyes and glanced at Dexter.

"That will be Zenia. If she hasn't fed recently her allergy will be fighting the Rask off so they'll smell weaker," Dexter explained getting to his feet and carefully stepping out from the hiding place always scanning the area.

"Come on, you can lead; it's good practice," Dexter said watching as Ianto climbed out.

"Why do I always feel like a student with you? You'd think I'd have learnt everything by now," Ianto muttered slipping his bag with their blood supply over his shoulder.

"You've still got a few things to learn from me yet kiddo," Dexter smirked as Ianto glared at him for the nickname. "Come on, the sooner we get moving the sooner we get there and can call The Hub. I imagine both Arabella and Jack are driving everyone crazy waiting to hear from us."

"You'd better add Taffy into that equation," Ianto smirked and Dexter had to agree with him on that point as the two of them ran off down the street after the others.

------------------------

Jack leaned forward next to Tosh, leaning on her desk where the camera could see him, making sure the microphone picked up his voice.

"Martha is everyone okay?" he asked straight off the bat.

It wasn't hard to miss the amusement in Martha's voice when she answered or the muttering in the background, "Everyone's fine Jack," Martha smiled, her face finally becoming visible on the screen in front of them.

"I'll go get Taffy," Owen said already moving towards the lower levels.

"Oh, see if you can find Ara – shit!" Jack jumped a few feet in the air as the woman in question suddenly appeared next to him.

"You didn't seriously think I'd be far away did you?" Arabella asked leaning over the back of Tosh's chair so she could be seen by the webcam and speak into the microphone on the desk.

"Hi Martha, how you doing?"

"I've been better, but I'm okay. Have you talked to my family recently?" Martha asked chewing her lip slightly in worry.

"They check in every second day. They're doing okay and we keep them up to date about you and Leo," Arabella replied specifically ignore Jack's fidgeting next to her.

"And Leo?" Martha asked, eyes scanning around Arabella and Tosh to see if he was somewhere in the background. Tosh realizing the computer's camera would get a clearer picture of the person in her seat slipped out of the way and gestured for Arabella to take her place.

"He sends his love but he's out on a supply run with Rhys at the moment," Tosh smiled holding up a post it note to the camera with Leo's message. Martha chuckled as she read the note seeming to relax more now that she knew her family was all doing okay.

"Who do you want to speak to first?" Martha asked.

"Oh, decisions…" Arabella grinned.

"Hey!" Jack tried to interrupt, getting more and more irritated by the second.

"Oh, let them fight over me," Arabella continued ignoring Jack for a moment. When Martha's face vanished from the screen Arabella turned to glare at Jack making sure her hand covered the mic.

"I know you're worried, but get a brain Captain! Martha was only a civilian before all this and she's been thrown into the deep end. Make sure she's okay and reassure her that she's got any support she needs _then_ worry about the ones who can take care of themselves," Arabella hissed at him, turning back to the computer as Zenia's face appeared.

Everyone stared at her in disbelief and the room fell deafly silent except for the conversation between Arabella and Zenia.

Jack stared at his friend in shock, she may have been a little right with what she said but she had never, in all the years he'd known her taken a tone like that with him. There was something wrong with Arabella; he knew that, she'd been acting oddly since Dexter left a few weeks ago. At first it had just been little things, comments and such, but now she seemed prone to full on shifts in her personality. She needed to be checked out but there is no way she would listen to him in the mood she was in lately so it would have to wait until Dexter got back.

By the time Taffy and Owen had returned from the lower levels the Vortex Manipulator has been passed on to Dexter who was now talking to Taffy while Jack was trying unsuccessfully to give Dexter a message over Arabella's shoulder where she couldn't see him but the camera wouldn't pick up his image for Dexter to see.

Taffy walked up and elbowed him in the ribs gaining Jack's attention.

"What are you doing?" Taffy mouthed at him.

"Telling Dexter bout Arabella" Jack mouthed back complete with arms movements.

Owen, Tosh, Andre and the others were currently biting their lips on anything else to stop themselves from laughing out loud at Jack and now Taffy.

"Telling what?" Taffy mouthed the question hands on her hips.

Jack threw up his hands in annoyance just as Arabella turned back from the screen to give him an annoyed look reading the situation wrong.

"You can have your turn now," Arabella snorted before turning and heading off into the depths of the hub.

"What have you done to piss of Ari that much?" Dexter's voice filtered from the screen and Jack turned to look at it in surprise he'd expected Ianto to have already taken the Vortex Manipulator once Arabella and Dexter had signed off.

"Nothing, which is what I was trying to tell you," Jack huffed taking the now vacated seat.

"There is a reason you always lost at charades Jack. Now Arabella doesn't get like that with people unless they've seriously pissed her off. So what have you done?" Dexter asked folding his arms in a typical scolding parent stance which only annoyed Jack further.

"Look! I haven't done anything! She's been acting weird since you left; I think there's something wrong with her alright! Now if it's okay with everyone I would like to speak to my Mate so I know he's really okay," Jack growled.

Dexter raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything more and simply passed the Manipulator on. There was a moment of shaky movement as the surrounding flittered past before the Manipulator focused on a familiar face.

"What is with you today?" Ianto asked as soon as he had the manipulator, voice tinged with amusement.

Jack paused for a moment "What!?" he asked defensively though his mind was already working out exactly what his Mate was finding so amusing.

"You forgot that the manipulator doesn't have a screen so it projects what the camera sees into a little hologram didn't you?" Ianto asked and Jack finally noticed the various snickers and giggles coming through in the background.

TBC


	24. Chapter 23

Ianto's head was resting on Jack's chest as he dozed where they lay curled up together in Jack's bunk. Jack traced his fingers up and down the healing wounds on Ianto's back. They were almost gone now and he knew they'd be completely healed in an hour or so.

Ianto stirred slightly in his sleep burrowing himself closer into Jack's chest. Since Ianto and Dexter's return it had seemed the others had decided they needed some time together. No one had interrupted them since Owen had treated Ianto's wounds and they had headed down to their room which Jack was eternally grateful for.

"Go back to sleep," Ianto mumbled into his chest and Jack couldn't help but chuckle

"Did I wake you?" Jack asked still trailing his fingers gently along the wounds.

Ianto squirmed a little "That tickles," came the muffled response.

"As long as it doesn't hurt anymore."

* * *

_The proximity alarm sounded causing everyone to turn towards the door in surprise; those who were properly trained drew their weapons just in case. The door was programmed to sound two different alarms, one if the person entering had the correct code and another for an intruder. The door alarm was that of a friend, but you can never be to sure._

_Weapons trained on the door Jack stood just in front of the others ready to move when he needed to. The door rolled open to reveal two very familiar faces and Jack felt relief flood through him. That relief quickly changed to shock and fear when he saw that Dexter was helping a blood covered Ianto through the door._

_"Lower your weapons!" Jack snapped, already moving down to meet the pair, Rhys and Gwen not far behind him._

_"What happened?" Gwen asked before Jack could find the words to speak, his mind was a whirl of confusion. He'd been able to sense Ianto getting closer ever since they arrived back in the UK a few days ago but he'd not sensed pain or anything to suggest this._

_"We ran into some trouble on the outskirts of the city," Dexter replied voice strained, Jack knew he should look and see if Dexter was hurt as well but his eyes were locked firmly on Ianto's pain filled ones._

_"Why didn't I sense it? I could have sent someone out to help bring you in," Jack replied easily moving Gwen out of the way so he could scoop up his mate. The movement was a little awkward, his 51__st__ century strength meant he could easily lift and carry the younger man normally but at the moment Ianto was a dead weight in his arms plus the others were so busy checking on him they were getting in the way. _

_"Almost home. Knew you were busy. Didn't want you to worry." Ianto replied his speech broken due to his obvious pain. _

_They were already moving and Jack had to stop himself from gripping tighter in anger. "You blocked me?" Jack demanded. He was furious even if he couldn't show it at the moment while he had more important things to worry about, he was absolutely livid. He thought he and Ianto were past this sort of thing. But obviously he was wrong._

_He knew Ianto could sense his anger and he didn't care, he felt Ianto unblock their side of the bond and his guilt and regret flowed between them but Jack was too mad to care. He blocked Ianto out and felt the man in his arms flinch in response. This was not how either of them had planned for Ianto's return to go. _

* * *

Ianto pressed a kiss to Jack's chest. "I told you I'm fine, now you owe me something," Ianto purred his hand wandering down across Jack's stomach.

Jack caught his hand and frowned at Ianto as he looked up at him through his eyelashes, lips still pressed to his chest.

"When we climbed into bed, your arm was completely useless, you could barely move without pain because of your back. I promised you would rest and we would sleep so you could recover," Jack muttered running his thumb across the back of Ianto's hand which he still held tightly.

"What's the matter? Didn't you miss me?" Ianto pouted and it was almost Jack's undoing right there and then.

"You know I did," Jack groaned as Ianto's lips found one of his nipples and began to tease. "But I'd rather you weren't at risk of passing out on me from pain."

"No pain... just itchiness... healed enough..." Ianto said between kisses as he moved across Jack's chest. "See," he whispered waving at Jack with his previously useless arm, how he'd gotten it free from the bandages Jack wasn't entirely sure but as Ianto latched onto his other nipple he found he didn't really care.

Jack gave in, pulling Ianto up so their lips met in a desperate kiss.

* * *

_Jack paced outside the medical bay, his temper was still raging at his mate and he just wanted to throttle him. So to be safe he took himself out of the room to wait. The door opened and Jack turned to see Taffy step out chewing nervously on her lip. Jack scowled at her he'd rather deal with Owen at the moment than his mate's twin._

_"He's asking for you," Taffy tried, frowning at the snort she got in reply._

_"What's his condition nurse Jones?" Jack asked slipping into a formal note as a barrier. This time it was Taffy's turn to snort at him._

_"Medically he'll heal. The Toclafane blades cut deep into his back and shoulder. So deep that they sliced through a lot of muscle and a few bones," Jack paused in his pacing to listen, "His left arm is completely useless at the moment so we've strapped it to his chest to stop it from hanging there or swinging." Jack flinched, how had he not noticed that? "He's in a lot of pain and we don't have any meds to give him that won't slow down the Rask, we've run out, but Dexter seems to think the Rask will dull the pain for him soon. How he made it back here without Dexter having to carrying him all the way none of us can figure out, but we can be pretty sure he just wanted to get home," That one hit home just as Taffy had intended it to and a strained silence settled over the pair._

_"But is he alright?" Jack finally asked._

_"No, he's not!" Taffy snapped finally at the end of her rope. "He's a hurting and not just physically. He's been away from everyone he cares about for a while. He comes back to Cardiff, gets attacked and when he finally gets home he can see that his friends and family are all right but his mate is to busy having a hissy fit in the corridor."_

_Jack glared at her "I have every right to be mad at him Taffy! He blocked me! Without telling me why he blocked me! I thought we were past that," The last part trailed off in a whisper and Taffy calmed down a little as she watched Jack's resolve break._

_Not saying anything she took his hand and led him through the medical bay to the room where Ianto was being treated. Letting go of his hand she left him standing in the doorway watching the two occupants in the room unnoticed._

_Owen was busy at work cleaning the smaller wounds that were scattered across Ianto. He looked terribly pale laying there against the white bedding. He was laying on his good side so there was no pressure on his back or bad shoulder three IV's had been inserted to get the needed blood into his system faster. Just like Taffy said his arm was strapped to his chest, but apart from that and a few small medical strips holding the larger gashes together he didn't have any other dressings on meaning Jack could see the extent of the injuries himself._

_Walking into the room he instantly moved to Ianto's side, finally noticing his younger lover's eyes were shut. Kneeling next to him he ran his fingers gently through the shaggy hair and watched as Ianto's eyes fluttered open, a tentative smile touching his lips as he focused on the man before him._

_"Owen?" Jack asked not looking away from Ianto._

_"I'll just take out the empty IV lines then you can take him to your rooms. I haven't covered the wounds as it just seems to irritate the Rask when they're healing so don't let anything touch them, the last thing he needs in a bit of dirt in them to start an infection. Right now he just needs to rest and let them heal him," Owen replied moving towards the IV lines as he spoke and Jack nodded in understanding, knowing the Doctor was watching them carefully while he worked._

_"I'm sorry," Ianto whispered._

_"I didn't think we were going to do that sort of thing anymore, thought we'd agreed to be more honest and open," Jack replied just as softly, though any fool could hear the hurt in his voice._

_"I didn't mean to hurt you. I could sense you were busy directing Tosh and Andre to get them across the French border. I didn't want to distract you in case they got hurt," Ianto explained._

_Jack pressed his forehead against Ianto's, he really couldn't argue with that. They had been hard directing Tosh and Andre across the border, using the satellite's inferred to tell them where the Toclafane were. Telling them when to hide or turn to avoid getting caught. "She was really annoyed that they had to leave before you got back." _

_"I'm sorry I missed her too... Are we okay Jack?" Ianto asked._

_"Yeah Yan," Jack said unblocking his side of their bond, "We're okay."_

* * *

Sweaty and sated Jack spooned himself against Ianto's back. They were quite content to just laze together for a while before someone in the team decided it was time for them to get back to work and came banging on their door.

Ianto's shoulder had been damaged the worse so that was what the Rask had focused on healing first. It would be stiff for a little while longer but other than that it was definitely back to its full strength and mobility. The deepest cuts on his back were nothing more than scars, but soon even they would fade away.

"So how did it go? Your trip I mean," Jack asked.

"Fine, we got there with very little trouble and found the others. Martha's doing alright all things considered and we let Zenia and Ifan feed themselves up on bagged blood as there seemed to be none of Saxon's spies in the area. Ifan was fine just hungry but Zenia was had almost lost all her Pirask abilities," Ianto explained.

"You wouldn't have had enough blood for the trip home though," Jack frowned propping himself up on his elbow so he could look down at Ianto.

"The trip home was slower as you might have noticed. Saxon seems to have chosen the UK as a favourite location so the Toclafane are a lot thicker here and definitely on guard a lot more than around the rest of the world. We had to hunt in the end," Ianto explained rolling over onto his back, their arms shifting so they could still embrace each other in their new position, both wanting the contact after they'd been so far apart.

"You hunting is always something to watch, doesn't matter what you're hunting either, it's all very sexy," Jack grinned ignoring Ianto's eye roll response. "So I'm guessing Dexter finally taught you how to use your teeth. That's something you'll have to show me, you with teeth, maybe we could have a little fun, there's definitely some kinky possibility there," Jack said though his thoughts trailed off slightly at seeing Ianto's completely confused look.

"Jack I've told Owen this before, I don't have teeth or fangs or whatever you want to call them..."

Jack stared at Ianto he couldn't believe Ianto didn't know, "Oh you have got to be kidding me..."


	25. Chapter 24

Ianto frowned at Jack in confusion as Jack tried to figure out why Dexter wouldn't have told him yet.

"Jack, what?" Ianto asked though he wasn't entirely sure what he was asking. Having teeth was pretty important and something he was sure Dexter would have taught him by now if it was true. It certainly would have made feeding from a hunt a lot easier than taking a pocket knife with him everywhere as he had been.

Jack trailed his thumb across Ianto bottom lip and Ianto could see him come to a decision in his eyes.

"Open your mouth for me," Jack prompted and Ianto did so without questioning it.

Jack slipped his thumb in behind Ianto's front teeth then pushed his forefinger under his top lip. Moving them slightly to find the right point he put a bit of pressure and watched as Ianto's teeth shifted as two fangs slipped down.

Ianto's eyes widened in shock as he felt something moving inside his mouth. Yanking his head back Jack let him go as he scrambled out of bed and into the bathroom where there was a mirror. Jack might have found it funny if not for how much this was really bothering Ianto, especially since he didn't understand why it was. Ianto had taken the changes to his life remarkably well, with the help of Arabella, Dexter and Jack when it was bothering him or getting him down, but for something so small it was a rather strong reaction.

Climbing out of bed Jack moved into the bathroom resting his hands on Ianto's shoulders as the younger man examined his teeth in the mirror. There was nothing out of the ordinary though as the fangs had retracted the minute Jack had stopped pressing on the right spot.

Ianto's eye met Jack's in the mirror, "Do it again?" he asked and Jack could here the nervous note there not to mention feel it through their bond.

Wrapping one arm around his chest in comfort Jack's other hand moved up to Ianto's mouth to do the same as before. As both men watched in the mirror they could see the two upper fangs slips out between Jack's fingers. Ianto's eyes widened in shock and he lent towards the mirror to have a better look. Jack went to remove his hand and the teeth began to retract, Ianto caught Jack's wrist and the older man got the message keeping his hand there.

"Ianto you should be able to bring them down on your own, it's just another muscle you need to learn to control," Jack explained gently meeting Ianto's eyes in the mirror again. Ianto nodded as much as he could with Jack's hand still in his mouth and Jack continued knowing he had his mate's attention. "Okay, concentrate on what's happening," Jack said releasing the pressure and letting the teeth slide back into their hiding place. After a few seconds he pressed again making them slide back out, Ianto's forehead creased slightly in concentration. This time when Jack let go he took his hand from Ianto's mouth and rested his arm around Ianto's bare waist.

"You try," Jack said not removing his arms from holding Ianto as the younger man frowned in concentration, mouth open slightly as he watched in the mirror. It took a few minutes but soon two teeth began to slowly push down, Ianto's eye getting wider once again. "There you go," Jack encouraged squeezing lightly. He could feel the worry, fear and torment from Ianto but he simply didn't understand why.

Jack turned Ianto to face him, tipping his chin up so he could stare into the troubled blue eyes. "This is natural for a Pirask Ianto. Why is it bothering you so much?"

Ianto opened his mouth to say something but jumped slightly when his teeth retracted due to his concentration drifting.

"You'll have more control over them with practice, don't worry," Jack smiled as Ianto blushed.

"How do you know so much about Pirask teeth?" Ianto muttered.

"I grew up in a society where they were just another member of the community; we even had a few classes on them in Biology. But even then I've learnt a fair bit from Bella and Dex over the years. Now stop avoiding the question Ianto."

Ianto opened his mouth a few times to answer but it was as if he couldn't find the words that wouldn't make him sound like a fool so he decided to show Jack instead.

Jack gasped slightly as images and feelings from Ianto swam through his mind but while he could make sense of some of them he wasn't sure what Ianto was trying to tell him.

Jack was just about to ask when they heard the hatch to his bunk open. The team respected their privacy and never looked into the room without invitation but unless one of them had their coms or mobiles on, which was highly unlikely if they'd shut themselves in their rooms, the only way to contact them was to open the door a crack and call them. "Jack, Ianto, you're going to want to get to medical," Andy's voice floated down to them.

"Thanks Andy we'll be there in a minute," Ianto called back and before Jack could push the matter he heard the sound of the hatch closing again and Ianto moved back into the main room to get dressed.

_You can't get away from me that easily Yan._ Jack mused as he too began to dress.

Ianto just gave him a look _I'm certainly going to try,_ before climbing the ladder. Jack snorted, one thing about Ianto's new dress sense, it took him a lot less time to dress and escape.

* * *

Ianto had stopped to make them both a coffee while he waited for Jack and the pair made their way down towards the medical area in silence. Ianto not really wanting to talk and Jack not wanting to push it any further, knowing Ianto would come to him when he was ready.

It didn't take them long to realize why they'd been called down when they found Arabella and Dexter waiting in one of the examination rooms.  
"What's going on?" Jack asked walking over and giving Arabella a hug being carefully not to shift the medical gown she was wearing.

"Nothing! Owen's tests came back wrong so he's gone to run them again. There's nothing wrong with me this is a total waste of time!" Arabella grumbled as Ianto moved to hug her.

Dexter rolled his eyes at Jack and chose not to answer his mate. Arabella pulled back from the hug and stared at Ianto for a minute, "What's wrong?"

The three men's eye widened in surprise. Ianto had slipped behind a mask before they'd stepped through the door. If Jack didn't have bond with him or know what was wrong there's no way he would have picked up that something was bothering Ianto and Dexter certainly hadn't.

"Nothing, it's fine," Ianto replied almost automatically.

Jack winced waiting for one of Arabella's recent blow-ups like he'd been receiving a lot recently but instead she cupped her hands on either side of Ianto's face and looked him in the eyes "Tell me," she said softly. Jack exchanged a look with Dexter seeing the same thing on the older man's face; Arabella's personality switches were confusing and scaring the hell out of him as well.

Ianto didn't say anything merely opened his mouth and with a little effort extended his teeth. Arabella lowered her head a little and glanced over to Dexter both of them looking guilty and slightly ashamed.

"Why didn't you tell him?" Jack asked feeling a little angry at the pair.

"We..." Dexter began but the door opened and in walked Owen, Taffy and Tom Milligan, Owen's other doctor.

The trio stopped and it wasn't hard to see that all three had noticed Ianto's 'newest addition' "Well looky here, Vamp tea-boy has fangs after all," Owen teased and though it was meant to be a joke Ianto still flinched teeth snapped back so fast that it made Jack wince.

Taffy elbowed Owen sharply in the ribs before moving to her brothers side, Tom gave Ianto a curious look before going back to his paperwork while Owen continues to stare and suddenly it all made sense to Jack. The images and feeling Ianto had showed him earlier, scene's from vampire movies, images of the other people's reactions, not just the teams either, when they found out about Ianto. Images and feeling of how Ianto had eased their fears and a few of his own that he wasn't a vampire. That he wasn't like the monster's fiction had made them since he didn't have any teeth.

Arabella was growling softly at the Doctor's keeping them at one end of the room like a guard dog while Taffy and Ianto whispered softly to each other. Jack felt a rise of jealousy that Ianto could talk to her about it but quickly squashed it back down; they were twins for god's sake and had spent their entire life sharing everything. Ianto looked up catching his eyes and Jack looked away a little embarrassed, obviously Ianto had caught on to his thoughts as his mate sent him a wave of regret and apology which Jack quickly soothed by walking over and wrapping his arms around the younger man.

Owen cleared his throat realizing he'd caused a problem even if he wasn't sure what. "I've done the tests again at the results are the same, Tom and Taffy and about three other people have checked them with me and there's nothing wrong with the machine or the blood samples we took from you."

"But that's impossible!" Arabella snapped.

"Is someone going to tell us what's going on and why we were called down here in the first place?" Jack asked, arms still wrapped around Ianto's shoulders from behind while Taffy now stood beside them.

"Harper here says I'm pregnant." Arabella snapped and the two men froze in shock.

"But that's impossible," Jack muttered.

"See!" Arabella crowed pointing in Jack direction and smirking at Owen.

"Accidents can happen Jack and it does explain her mood swings," Ianto said quietly.

"Mood swings?!" Arabella growled in outrage.

"No they can't, not for Pirask. The Rask handle birth control so there are no accidents," Dexter said while soothing Arabella's ruffled feathers.

"Is there anything else you haven't told me?!" Ianto glared at Dexter whom he'd decided at some point was to blame for keeping things from him and Jack suspected he was right with that accusation.

"I didn't really think it was relevant considering you're mate is male." Dexter snorted his frustration at the whole situation staring to wear through his strong self-control.

"And what if we decided we wanted a child and tried to get Jack pregnant?" Ianto retorted only realizing what he'd said once the words were out.

"You can get pregnant, why didn't you tell me?" Arabella asked mood shifting once again to hurt.

"Never was sure whether you were joking or not about that one," Owen muttered.

"Bella it wasn't really relevant since you couldn't get me pregnant," Jack replied ignoring Owen's comment and trying to soothe Ianto's guilt at the same time. This morning was turning into one emotional roller-coaster after another and it was beginning to wear him out.

"As fascinating as this all is, we need to get back on topic," Taffy announced bringing the chaotic room to a lull, though everyone knew some topics were going to be coming up at a later date.

"Yes, right. Now are you sure the Rask can't... I don't know... fall asleep on the job or something?" Owen asked staring at the readouts in his hands which clearly read that Arabella was with child.

"The Rask keep us infertile unless both Mates want the child, the Rask of both mate's can communicate through the bond on some level and increase the fertility of both until conception." Dexter explained.

"Well apparently you both wanted this as Aunt Arabella's about 6 weeks along." Tom said from Owen's side where he was reading the same reports. Jack's eye widened slightly at Tom calling Arabella 'Aunt' but since no one else in the room reacted he assumed it was something they all knew about so he'd ask Ianto or Dexter later.

Arabella and Dexter were both about to protest when Jack spoke up, "Maybe it wasn't so much about want this time as a need. A need for something good to come out of all the death and destruction at the moment; we're watching so many die maybe on some instinctual level it was a trigger for new life."

"With Toshiko's help I've managed to contact Dad. He's the specialist for Pirask pregnancies after all and when I told him who it was he promised to be here as fast as he can." Tom said smiling gently at Arabella ducking slightly so he could catch her eyes.

Arabella stared at Tom for a moment before smiling in thanks, reaching down she rubbed her stomach in wonder. Dexter wrapped his arms tightly around her. "It may not be the best timing to bring a child into a world, but hopefully we'll have everything fixed by the time the little one's born."

"Your due date is after the Doctor's plan," Owen added.

"So he or she's a gift, for a new beginning, after the hell of all this." Dexter whispered holding Arabella close and kissing her forehead.

"And we will keep you both safe until then, no matter what," Jack promised holding his own mate close knowing Ianto was feeling exactly the same thing.


	26. Chapter 25

Ianto perched on the edge of the building watching the Toclafane below him. They were flying about attacking anything that moved in the night, it was after curfew so luckily there were no humans out. He sat completely unnoticed up on his ledge, they'd never expect a 'human' to be sitting up this high or on something as unstable as the ledge was. It was ironic really; that he found himself sitting up high watching the city as he thought. He'd kept Jack company so many times in his rooftop broodings that Ianto now did it himself. Normally he'd burying himself in the archives or down at his training room but the Hub was so crowded these days, normally it didn't bother him, but today, today he just wanted to be alone. Jack's presence was lingering at the back of his mind, to keep an eye on him and make sure he was safe, but he was respecting Ianto's need for Privacy.

He was being silly, he knew he was. It was such a small thing compared to what was going on around them but it was something that had bothered him from the beginning and now; he was being silly but he couldn't help it. It was always the little things that hit the hardest when your life was going through a rough patch.

"So you must be the new boy."

The new voice caused Ianto to jump so much that he almost fell from the ledge he was perched on. How the hell had someone snuck up on him, he hadn't heard or smelt anyone approaching.

* * *

"Bella?"

Arabella looked up from where she was sitting in the hot house, knees drawn up to her chest; she'd been hiding here for the last few hours thinking.

"Can I join you?" Jack asked smiling softly at her.

She didn't answer just shuffled to the side making room for him beside her so he could lean back on the cabinet.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, just shocked," Arabella shrugged.

"Let me guess what's wrong; you still miss Pete, it's the worst possible timing, you and Dex haven't had a kid together since... well, before we were married I guess,"

"Sauri moved out five years before I met you."

"I remember Sauri. She had so much trouble pretending to be your cousin. I didn't realize it back then, I just thought she didn't like me," Jack said grinning at the memory.

Arabella smiled remembering her sweet daughter who flustered so easily, she'd been a complete opposite to her.

"So, do you want to talk about what's bothering you?" Jack asked. He was worried about her, she wasn't the kind of person to let things get her down, part of it might have been hormones but there was something more. He knew how much she loved having children so this should be a good thing, right?

"I do still miss Pete, so much, but there's more to it than that," Arabella whispered.

Jack sat quietly waiting for her to continue.

"It's the Paradox, what happens when we beat that bastard Saxon and the paradox reverses like the Doctor's planned... What happens to our baby? Pete will be alive again, so who am I supposed to be with? What happens Jack? Can you answer me that? Will our baby even continue to exist?"

Jack didn't have the answer. He pulled her into his arms and held her tight, letting his weep into his shoulder.

* * *

Dexter stood in Jack's office staring out across the hub. He'd seen Jack disappear into the hot house where Arabella was a little while ago but he hadn't come out yet. Arabella was blocking him out. Ianto was mad at him. Jack was sitting between the three of them trying not to take sides, though the fact that his friend hadn't said a word to him since they left the medical bay suggested he was leaning towards the side of his mate and ex-wife. Dexter could understand that.

"Uncle Dex,"

Dexter looked up to find Tom hovering in the doorway.

"What is it Tommy?" Dex asked, smirking slightly as Tom scowled at his hated childhood nickname.

"I wish you wouldn't call me that. Dad radioed in, he's reached the city so he should be here soon. The thing is he's been protecting a few children and he couldn't leave them behind. He's left them at one of the safe houses on the edge of the city but dad wants to move them in here as soon as it's safe," Tom explained.

"Your dad always was one to pick up orphans."

"You wouldn't have met Aunt Arabella if he didn't," Tom smiled.

Dexter couldn't help smiling back "I suppose you're right," he said turning to look out the office window again.

Tom followed Dexter's gaze, "Is she alright?" Tom asked watching as Jack and Arabella walked out of the hot house together.

Arabella glanced around the hub looking for something or someone. Jack spotted them up in the office and gestured to Arabella. She looked and gave him a watery though relieved smile, making her way towards him and unblocking their bond.

"She will be. We have each other."

* * *

"Careful kid, you'll attract their attention if you fall down of top of them," the stranger said catching Ianto's arm and helping him fix his balance on the ledge.

"Who the hell are you?" Ianto asked dropping into a defensive crouch once he had his balance again.

"Relax, you are Ianto Jones right?" the man asked, Ianto nodded slowly as the man held his hand out to shake.

Ianto stared at the man before him, they were standing hundreds of feet above the ground, Toclafane hovering below and he was offering to shake. The man was dressed in a black t-shirt and grubby overalls his long black hair was falling out of the loose pony tail at the back of his neck and his face was covered in a short well kept beard.

"I'm Charles Emerth, Tomas' father."

* * *

"So let me get this straight, Tom's dad is a Pirask, an old one at that and he's essentially Arabella's step father. Tom however calls Ari and Dex, Aunt and Uncle?" Rhys asked sitting on the couch beside Gwen.

"Yep," Ianto replied sipping his beer and leaning back into Jack's embrace where they were settled in an armchair.

"Talk about confusing family ties," Andy muttered coming over with fresh beer for those who were ready for their next round. Luckily for them, one of the men living in the hub knew how to brew beer and was quiet happy to make enough for the residents when they were able to collect the right supplies.

"Not really, it just takes some getting used to,"

The group turned to see Charles walking over from the direction of the medical bay.

"How is she?" Gwen asked

"I've done all the tests and give her some vitamins, we don't have everything we need, but the Rask will compensate if her body's deficient in anything. I'll be moving into the hub and be giving her weekly checks but for how far along she is, she's doing just fine," Charles explained declining the beer Andy offered him with a wave of his hand.

"If you make me a list of things you need either for Arabella or yourself I'll see what I can find when we go on a supply run tomorrow," Rhys said.

"Thank you that would be a great help, I'll have it to you before you leave tomorrow," Charles smiled before turning to Ianto, "Ianto can I speak to you for a moment?" he asked before turning and leaving the room, not waiting for an answer.

Everyone's eyes stayed on Charles' back for a moment until he was out of sight and then they turned their attention to Ianto curiously. Ianto shrugged in confusion before he got to his feet, pulling Jack with him as they made their way down the hall after the other man.

Ianto had to follow his nose to actually find Charles in the end, he'd weaved himself through the lower level that it would have been impossible to a human to actually find him. When they finally reached him he was sitting in the back corner of the archives.

"I'm impressed kid, it took you less time to get here than I thought it would," Charles grinned

Jack squeezed Ianto's hand sending him a wave of calm as Ianto ground his teeth in annoyance at being called 'kid'.

"Oh relax, I don't mean anything by it, I call all new Pirask kid," Charles shrugged and Ianto relaxed... a little.

"Dexter asked me to give you some lesson with your teeth, I've been told you're mad with him at the moment and I can't say I blame you. It's something you need to learn though and with Ari distracted with her pregnancy and no other Pirask on base..." Charles explained letting the sentence trail off not needing to say anything more.

Ianto and Jack exchanged looks Can I trust him? Ianto asked, knowing Jack had met the man before.

He can be a little eccentric but yeah, you can trust him Jack replied.

Ianto smiled at his mate before turning back to face Charles who was smiling at him encouragingly. "Alright where do we start?"

"I just need to ask you a few things first. Do you have some control over your teeth? I know you haven't had a lot of time to practice but can you at least extend and retract them on command."

"Yes," Ianto opened his mouth to prove it as he dropped his teeth down.

"Excellent. Just out of curiosity, how were you hunting when you needed to when you didn't know about your teeth?" Charles asked.

Ianto dug into his pocket and pulled out Jack's old pocket knife which made his mate smile. "The same way Jack fed me the first time with a small slit in the wrist. I'd knock them out and then us the switch blade."

"Awkward, but it still works. Now, can you communicate with your Rask? Get them to do things for you like just enhancing one sense instead of bringing forward all of your abilities to do a small task."

"Yeah, but I've always been able to do it, that's how Arabella taught me."

"Excellent, then this should be a piece of cake," Charles said gesturing for Ianto to take a seat on one of the chairs he'd brought down with him. Charles took the seat opposite him and Jack took up position behind Ianto, resting his hands on Ianto's shoulders in silent support.

"The gist of it is when you want to feed, you will the Rask to release your hunting pheromones. The work just like a roofie, your 'prey' for lack of a better term, will feel numb so no pain and they won't remember a thing. Then you use your teeth in a major vein, the neck is classic but I prefer the wrist. It leans away from the vampire myths and people find it easier to make up a reason for a mark on their wrist then their neck."

"It's that simple?" Ianto asked eye wide in surprise, he didn't know what he was expecting to hear, but that wasn't it.

Jack chuckled behind him, "See there was nothing to worry about really, you can listen to their heartbeat while you feed just like you normally do and stop before you take too much."

"Would you like to practice? Before you have to go hunting for real," Charles said.

"Practice on whom exactly?" Ianto replied cautiously.

"Well the best person to practice on is your mate, you'll be able to sense through your bond whether your hunting pheromones are working or not. It'll help you learn to release the correct amount," Charles shrugged gesturing to Jack.

"Plus with me, you don't have to worry about making a mistake, it'll heal up in no time," Jack added moving in front of Ianto and pulling the younger man to his feet and into his arms.

"I'd still rather not hurt you," Ianto leaning back so he could look Jack in the eyes.

"You won't, I trust you," Jack replied pressing a kiss to Ianto's forehead, sending waves of comfort and understanding to his mate, trying to sooth any worries.

"Okay, if you're ready I'll talk you through it," Charles said standing up to join the pair.

* * *

Ianto was woken from his sleep the next morning as the sirens in the hub above screamed in warning. He'd been up late with Jack and Charles learning to hunt and feed with his teeth so the team had been instructed to let them sleep in this morning to recover.

Ianto shot out of bed scrambling for his clothes, Jack right behind him, they ended up with each other's shirts on but it really didn't matter. Ianto leap out of the manhole as Jack took the ladder and they entered the hub seconds later to find the place in chaos.

"What's going on?" Ianto demanded as soon as he got to the computer banks.

"The supply team, they're under attack."


	27. Chapter 26

"RHYS!!" Gwen's panicked bellow came from the lower levels before she even made it to the main area. Ianto moved to intercept her, pulling her into his arms as she tried to get to the computers. He didn't know what was going on up there but if they had CCTV on the attack it was not something Gwen needed to see. Ianto drew his abilities up, Gwen wasn't exactly small and frail it was hard work to keep her where they were and with his enhanced sight and sound he would be able to watch the monitors as long as no one got in his way.

The others were soon running into the area, one after the other until the whole main team had assembled in the communications area. Taffy and Andy took over keeping Gwen back allowing Ianto to join to others at the monitors.

"Where are they?" Jack demanded.

"Anthony called in their position not far from here just two blocks west then we lost contact with them. They were on their way home," Tobias, Tosh's second, quickly reported trying not to bend under the teams attention.

"What happened?" Ianto asked seeing Tobias' nerves and hoping to lesson them slightly, the last thing the needed was him getting nervous and making a mistake.

"I don't know I can try to hack into the remaining CCTV cameras to see if one of them saw what happened," Tobias said already pulling up the CCTV software.

"Do it. Do we have anything yet that can take out the Toclafane?" Jack asked the rest of the group as Tobias worked.

"We've been experimenting with all sorts of weapons and alien tech from the archives but we haven't found anything yet," Ianto explained eyes flicking between Jack and what Tobias was doing.

"What's their best chance?" Jack asked a touch of uncertainly in his voice, though Ianto knew there were few who would pick it up.

"We are, Charles, Ianto, Angela; come on, let's see if we can get them to safety," Dexter said. Ianto glared at the older Pirask; he still hadn't forgiven him for lying to him and he didn't appreciate being ordered around but he moved to follow the order anyway; now was not the time to argue.

"Who are you?" Jack asked catching the brunette 'Angela' by the arm as she went to follow Dexter.

"She's my daughter, the rest of my group arrived this morning while you were asleep," Charles explained.

Jack nodded in acceptance, "Ok then, be careful, we don't want any of you being captured," and though Jack address the whole group his eyes were glued to Ianto's.

"We will, the Toclafane are vicious, but they aren't as fast as us," Ianto said trying to reassure both of them.

Without another word the Pirask ran towards the exit faster than most could see. As much as the others wanted to help, they knew the Pirask were the best chance for the supply team.

* * *

  
Ianto leapt silently to the next roof following Dexter, across the street Charles and Angela were moving just as discreetly. The closer they got, the sound of the Toclafane's laughter, peppered with screams and the sound of their blades tearing metal grew louder. Reaching the location Ianto stared down in shock, the lorry was torn open like an aluminum can, the supplies stored in the back were completely ruined and the engine was smoking.

Four bodies were laid out on the ground and it was clear from the state they were in that they were dead. Ianto hoped it was fast and the Toclafane didn't torture them. There were only three Toclafane hovering around, laughing at their fun. Only three of those monsters and look at the damage they'd done.

_How many are on a supply run? _Dexter asked eyes flicking to Ianto.

Knowing they'd probably need to communicate telepathically he'd let his barriers down a little; not enough to let anyone into his head but just enough that he could hear should someone try to contact him. _Seven, usually Nine but today they were short handed._ Ianto replied quickly, he really didn't like other people in his head, apart from Jack. He was a private person by nature and having someone in his head just felt like an invasion of that privacy.

_So we've got three of your men unaccounted for,_ Charles replied as they all scanned the area for the missing men.

_Charles? Feel like joining me in a game of chicken? _Ianto asked looking up to meet the Pirask doctor's eyes.

_You're crazy you know that? _Charles smirked

_Do you have a better plan? _Ianto asked making his telepathic voice sound as sweet as possible while grinning to show he was teasing.

_Ianto, you know these people better than I, you and Angela find them, Charles and I will draw them away,_ Dexter said already moving to jump off the edge of the roof.

_Dexter you can't order me around like a child! _Ianto growled stopping the other man.

_To me you are a child! You're close enough to being my son and I will do what I think is best for you, now stop arguing and do it! _Dexter growled and Ianto's head ached a little at the force behind that statement.

Swearing silently, Dexter jumped from the rooftop making sure to land on an unstable pile of rubble, drawing attention to himself with the noise. The Toclafane turned; one let out what almost sounded like a small cheer as they extended their blades and headed towards Dexter. The first one swooped and Dexter easily dodged it, he was playing with them, getting them eager for the chase and the kill so that when he ran they were sure to follow him. New prey was so much more fun than the old, weaker ones.

Ianto looked up, wondering why Charles wasn't down there helping. Angela's terrified gaze onto the alleyway below told him where Charles had gotten to and that he was on his way. Ianto's suspicion was confirmed a moment later when Charles burst from the alleyway, 'tripping' over a rubbish bin in the process.

He and Dexter stumbled to each other before turning and fleeing together. They ran, pretending to trip, crying out in 'fear' and always keeping that one small step in front of the Toclafane when they swooped. Ianto and Angela watched until the others were far enough away that it was safe to move.

Leaping off the edge of the buildings, they moved cautiously towards the wreckage.

"What about the fallen?" Angela asked trying not to look at the bodies too closely.

"When we can be sure it's safe we'll come back for them, they'll be given a service and cremated like the others we've lost," Ianto replied quietly.

"You knew them, didn't you?" Angela asked softly.

"I know everyone living in the hub," Ianto answered, continuing to move cautiously towards the destroyed lorry.

"I'm sorry," Angela replied, Ianto was about to reply but a hysterical voice cut him off.

"Ianto? Oh God, Ianto!" Ianto found himself with his arms full of Becca Thoms one of Rhys' supply team. She was covered in blood but by the looks of it very little was hers. Looking past her Ianto saw Kyota staggering out from a nearby building where the pair must have been hiding. He didn't look so good, his shoulder was covered by a dark red patch and his arm hung loosely at his side.

"Oh my God, Ianto I found someone!!" Angela cried stopping Ianto from going to Kyota's aid.

Extracting himself from Becca, he urged her to go back and help Kyota before moving around the Lorry to Angela's voice.

"Shit!" Lurching forward he dropped to his knees beside the figure trapped under the wreckage.

"He's still alive," Angela confirmed as Ianto searched for a pulse.

"But how?" Ianto whispered more to himself than to Angela, there was a gap between the lorry and the ground to the man's left and Ianto slipped his arm under to feel around.

"He's in a protected pocket, we have to get him out of there," Ianto said standing to find a grip on the Lorry, Angela following his lead as they got ready to lift.

Somehow, when the Lorry had been torn apart and fallen over him it had formed a dome, the metal hitting the ground with just enough room for a person to lie beneath without being crushed. They didn't however know how he got there, if the lorry had fallen onto him and knocked him down, even with the pocket stopping it from crushing him he very well could have been hurt in the fall.

"On three," Ianto instructed, "Hold on Rhys we'll get you out of there."

"One,"

"Two,"

"LIFT!"

* * *

Everyone's attention snapped to Jack when he suddenly stopped his agitated pacing which had begun the minute the Pirask left. A little of the tension easing from his frame as Ianto's voice interrupted his troubled thoughts.

_Jack we've come in one of the back entrances, it was closer to us and easier to get the survivors to the medical bay. Owen, Tom and Taffy need to get down here now. Gwen needs to come too, Rhys is hurt, it's bad.  
_  
Jack sent a wave of relief that they were home, worry and understanding back before relaying the message to the others. Owen, Tom and Taffy taking off as soon as the word had left his mouth; Gwen, tears streaming down her face was right beside them.

"Have you found anything on the CCTV yet?" Jack demanded turning back to Tobias who was typing away furiously at his station, images and windows flicking past as he worked, the kid was almost as good as Tosh, almost. She would have been doing this on her own in the same amount of time; Tobias had the support of the five techies around him feeding him information as they all worked on different aspect of the problem.

"Everything was going fine; they'd acquired all the supplies and called in their return."

Jack nodded in encouragement, that was the standard procedure, if that went to plan then where on earth did things go wrong? There were no Toclafane hot spots between here and wherever they'd gone to find supplies that was always checked before they even left.

"They were almost back here and they were ambushed, the Toclafane were waiting for them," Tobias explained showing Jack the CCTV footage and sure enough there were the Toclafane, hovering just out of sight of the road waiting for the truck to come around the corner before they attacked.

"But if they were ambushed that means Saxon knew where they were going to be..." Jack said eye widening in shock and fear, "and if he knew where they were going to be. He knew where they were headed. He knows where we are..."


	28. Chapter 27

"...and if he knew where they were going to be. He knew where they were headed. He knows where we are..."

"Wait Jack, he could just know we're around here somewhere, he might not know exactly where we are," Andy reasoned but even a stranger would have heard the uncertainty in Andy's voice.

"Tobias, bring up the CCTV footage from the Plass and the Tourist Office," Jack ordered, leaning over the man's shoulder as he quickly accessed the program.

The shocked and horrified gasps from around him told Jack that he wasn't the only one seeing what was gathering on their doorstep.

"Shut this place down!" Jack ordered raising his voice so everyone could hear him. "I don't want any alarms sounding that will give away that we know they're here. Pack up anything and everything you can, get it to the lower levels and make sure everyone is below. I'm sealing this place the minute they try to breach the base."

"Can they get in here?" Arabella asked, hand resting protectively over her belly.

"I don't know, but I'm not risking anyone while we wait to find out," Jack replied. "Everybody Move! Tobias I need you to keep monitoring them, let me know the minute something changes."

The main level became a whirl of panicked movement. Techies ripped cables out of systems, tucking hard drives and any important equipment under their arms and rushing it to the lower levels. Andy and Arabella headed to the greenhouses with a few other people grabbing herbs they knew were being used for medicines as well as whatever fresh produce they could carry or load onto a cart.

Jack dashed into his office, slamming the lid on their quarters closed and moving a heavy chest across it, making sure it looked like it belonged there. It was a piece He'd had made years ago that had a cut out piece in the middle so it could sit flat over the manhole and cover it. With any luck it would fool them and then he and Ianto might still have access to their room from the other entrance and alternative access to the main level of the hub should it become compromised.

* * *

Dexter and Charles slunk through the alleyways of the deserted and ruined city, eager to get back to the hub and see if any of the supply team had survived the attack.

They were almost at the Plass when the sound of approaching Toclafane had them ducking into a doorway. They could not see how many passed but there were easily six voices chanting together as they made their way towards the Plass. "Kill the traitors! Trash their base! Kill the traitors! Trash their base."

Dexter and Charles stared at each other in shock and the minute the Toclafane had passed they were on the move. As soon as they reached the Plass they knew that they were too late.

The Plass was covered in Toclafane; from above it would have looked like ants swarming across the ground and in the middle of the Plass was one human, her blonde hair a stark contrast against the darkness of everything around her.

"They know how we're getting in, that's going to complicate things. We're going to have to use one of the other entrances," Dexter muttered turning to leave when Charles' voice stopped him.

"Sophia's with them?" Charles asked in shock.

"I'm sorry Charles I thought you knew," Dexter said staring down at the woman in question as she danced across the Plass, Toclafane swirling around her.

"No," Charles responded quietly.

"Charles... She wasn't your responsibility..." Dexter sighed, knowing how much seeing her like this was troubling Charles.

"Dexter..."

"You can't help her Charles,"

"I know...what the…"

Dexter turned his attention back to the Plass as the Toclafane began to attack the pavement of the Plass trying to dig their way into the hub below. Dread cutting into him as he realized they weren't here to guard and lock them in, they were here to attack.

"Will they be able to get through?" Charles asked turning to Dexter

"We need to warn the others. Hopefully we can lockdown the lower levels and be safe in there," Dexter said and Charles had his answer.

Both men turned and ran, pushing themselves as fast as they could, the next closest entrance was a fair way away and they'd have to take an even longer route to make sure they weren't spotted or followed.  
They both knew they wouldn't make it back before the Toclafane broke into the main area of the hub.

* * *

"Jack, sir!! They're starting to move!!" Tobias' worried voice pulled Jack back out of his office.

Jack burst back into the hub at the same time Ianto and Tom ran up from the lower levels.

"Thank god, we've got trouble. Saxon found us; Miss Dexter and a horde of Toclafane are banging on our door,"

"We have to secure the rift manipulator, if they get it we'll have no power," Ianto said moving towards the base of the water tower as he spoke.

"Tom, get Arabella, make sure she's safe below," Jack ordered before moving to help him mate.

"Tobias are they banging on our door yet?" Jack asked helping Ianto shift one of the panels into place over the manipulator.

"More like carving, I'm amazed we can't hear it," Tobias replied.

"You will soon," Ianto murmured, his silver eyes catching the light as he glanced worriedly towards his mate, he could already hear them trying to get in.

Jack scanned the hub, relieved to see Tom ushering Arabella down to the lower levels, she looked back, clearly wanting to stay and help but knowing she had to leave or she'd risk losing the baby.

"They're carving away the pavement above us; between their blades and lasers they're managing it. They're actually going to get in here," Tobias' voice held a note of panic which was echoed by the scared cries that were swelling in the hub.

"Everyone, get to the lower levels now!" Jack ordered watching as everyone grabbed the last things they could carry and fled to the lower levels, "That means you too Tobias, grab your system and go, we'll be right behind you."

"But Sirs!" Tobias went to argue as Jack dashed past him back into his office.

"Now Tobias... and take this with you," Jack said pushing the baby TARDIS from his office into Tobias' arms.

Tobias took one last look at the pair before pulling out his hard drive and running.

Ianto had finished replacing the panels covering the manipulator. It now just looked like the base of the water tower not a cover for one of the most powerful devices on the planet.

The only give away was the power cable leading from the base of the tower along the walkways where they eventually went into the lower levels.

"We need to hide these," Ianto said looking down at the cables.

Even Jack could hear the sounds of the Toclafane trying to break their way in now. The sound of metal carving into cement was enough to make his skin crawl.

"They're waterproof aren't they?" Jack asked staring down at the cables.

Ianto smirked, seeing where Jack was going with his thoughts; together they lifted the grating and kicked the cables into the stagnant water below. Now you couldn't see where the cables were connected to the water tower. Where they came out of the water and into the lower levels further across the hub it just looked like they were extra cabling not their main power supply so with any luck the Toclafane would overlook them.

There was a loud crash and the sound of tumbling stone followed by maniacal laughter from down the hallway beyond the cog door.

"They're in," Jack hissed.

"We still have to lock down mainframe, they can't have access to her," Ianto said moving towards the only remaining station, Tosh's.

"How long?" Jack asked as his mate began to type.

Ianto glanced towards the door where they could hear the Toclafane's approach, "Too long."

Jack glanced towards the door where the Toclafane were advancing; Ianto was working on the computer and the door to the lower which was still open. They'd run out of time.

Sensing what his mate was thinking Ianto looked up and met Jack's eyes.

"Do it," Ianto said.

Jack nodded turning he worked the controls watching as the large iron door that would seal off the lower levels moved into place. Pulling the perception filter from his pocket he hooked it on the door's locking mechanism. Once the door was closed it would be lodged there, unable to be knocked off. It would shield the door so the Toclafane wouldn't notice it, wouldn't know there was another level where they were hidden away, safe.

Just before the door sealed shut Jack heard the shocked cries from his friends and family on the other side as they realized what he had done. Smashing the controls with the butt of his gun, Jack knew it would take Toshiko's skills to get the door open in the future. Everyone in the lower levels was safe but he and Ianto were trapped with the enemy fast approaching.


	29. Chapter 28

Arabella was pounding on the door, her silver eyes flashing in anger. What the hell were they thinking! They're going to get themselves killed! Tobias knelt beside her, a small portable computer in his hand, plugged into the wall as he tried to get the door open again. Others were standing around staring on, various emotions flitting through the crowd. Arabella was relieved that she was the only one truly close to the boys there the rest of the main team had been through so much since Saxon started this hell, dreading the deaths of their leaders was not something they needed to experience.

She prayed the boys were going to be ok, but she wasn't silly, she's seen what the Toclafane had done since they'd taken over and she knew Sophia's wicked heart better than anyone. At the same time she hated that she was the only one, hated the knowledge that she'd have to tell the others what had happened. She would have to tell them all that the two men they cared for were dead if they didn't make it through this.

She needed Dexter, he'd know what to do but she didn't even know if he was ok.

* * *

Dexter and Charles slipped into an old warehouse, or what was left of it, the building's frame creaked and groaned above threatening to fall if they bumped into the wrong wall. Most of the metal from the building had been scavenged to use on the rockets as well so only the older rusty metal was left and even that had been damaged by the Toclafane's games. Outside the Toclafane danced around, not involved in the attack on the hub but enjoying the fun of it anyway.

Dexter carefully lifted a cement block tucked in one corner of the warehouse, too heavy for a human in move without help and not recognizable as anything other than a piece of the building's floor it was the perfect trapdoor to the hub. Built as an emergency exit, there was a mechanical device to open it from the inside but outside only the Pirask were able to access this particular route. That made it the most secure entrance; the Toclafane wouldn't have followed anyone to this door.

Once it was open enough, Charles silently slipped through, quickly followed by Dexter who replaced the slab quietly behind them. Once they were underground there was no need to be quiet and the men took off in the direction of the Hub as fast as they could.

* * *

Gwen stared through the window as Owen, Charles and Taffy worked on her husband. Angela said there was almost no sign of injury when they found him. No physical signs, other than a little swelling, that there was anything more serious than being knocked out and bruises that would form in the next few days.

The scans proved them wrong. Rhys was bleeding internally, his spleen had ruptured and something else that Gwen just couldn't remember, she was too numb. Rhys' life was in Owen and Tom's hands, she trusted them, they were both brilliant doctors but neither of them could guarantee that he would be alright.

Gwen watched them work on Rhys through the small one way window on the operating room. It used to be an interrogation room back before Jack took over; a room once used for torture was now used to heal. Owen found the one way window a godsend; he hated being watched while he worked, especially by distraught family members.

Gwen couldn't see much from the window, her view obscured by Tom's back as he worked and the triage nurse bustling around them. She kept staring blankly not really seeing what was in front of her anyway of her until a blood soaked swab fell to the floor breaking her from her daze.

She sunk to her knees underneath the window and turned so her back was against the wall, hugging her knees to her chest. She couldn't do it; she couldn't stand there and watch them juggle the life of the man she loved as they fought to save him.

From her position on the floor she was only a few feet from the operating room door, she could hear the beep of the heart monitors that Rhys was attached to and would be on her feet in an instant if the machine inside changed their tone. She couldn't bear to watch but she'd never leave him, not even if her life depended on it.

* * *

Andy lent on the desk beside Leoni as she typed away at her newly reconstructed work station in the lower levels of the hub. She wasn't as good as Tobias and was a far cry from Tosh's natural skill but she had been the best Tech in the police department before Saxon and had always been willing to help Andy out with any problems in the past. Andy jumped with slightly guilty surprise as someone bumped into his shoulder as they leaned into to see what he had Leoni doing.

Glancing to his side revealed Taffy, her red eyes telling Andy all he needed to know; she knew Ianto and Jack were trapped in hub above them. Wrapping an arm around her he pulled her into his side offering silent comfort as he eyes stayed on Leoni's screen, looking for any sign on her brother as various CCTV images flickered past.

"Why are you here Taffy, I thought you'd be helping Owen and Tomas work on Rhys?" Andy said trying to distract Taffy a little.

"I'm a Ward Nurse not Triage. I've been helping Owen and learning but what they're doing, trying to save Rhys, is complicated, they need someone who knows what they're doing and isn't too distracted to work," Taffy explained looking up and giving Andy a watery half smile.

The pair stood in silence watching Leoni work until finally Taffy couldn't take it anymore. "Can you find out what's happening?"

"I'm trying but none of the CCTV cameras in the hub are accessible without the mainframe," Leoni explained glancing over her shoulder to give Taffy an apologetic look.

"What about outside?" Andy asked noticing Taffy sag at the news.

"The system is up and running but they cameras have all been physically damaged so there's no feed, the Toclafane made sure of that just before they broke through,"

"Is there any way to find out if my brother's okay?" Taffy asked looking desperately between the two of them. Leoni stared at the screen lost in thought for a moment before clicking her tongue, obviously pleased with something she began typing away at her computer.

"What is it?" Andy asked curiously.

"The com units. All of you in the main team carry your com units with you at all times so we can find you if something comes up. I should be able to trace their com units to find out whether they're still in the hub or not," Leoni explained as she worked. They all knew that the coms were small and secure, they didn't just fall out and they were run on human body heat, which meant they were a pretty good indication that the owner was okay.

Andy and Taffy watched silently, neither wanting to say anything that might jinx them.

"Bingo!" Leoni cheered pointing to her screen when a series of dots appeared on what looked like a map of the hub, though none of them knew all the things they were looking at, there were still many areas of the hub that were out of bounds unless you were one of the Torchwood team. Leoni pointed to three dots away from the rest of them "This must be the Operating room. That's Owen, Gwen and Tom's com signals,"

"What about Rhys? He had a com didn't he?" Andy asked confused.

"They would have removed it before they started his surgery," Taffy explained and Leoni nodded in agreement obviously coming to the same conclusion.

"These two dots here are you two," Leoni pointed to another pair before moving to the more concentrate group of dots, "This is Arabella, Angela, Tobias and it looks like Dexter and Charles have made it back safely."

"So those two?" Taffy asked, though she already knew the answer as she pointed to the two remaining dots on the screen.

"That's Jack and Ianto. They're still in the main area of the hub."

* * *

Angela turned around when the sounds of footsteps indicated someone was coming and coming fast, relief flooding through her as her father and Dexter appeared pushing their way through the gathered crowd as they got nearer.

Dexter instantly went to Arabella's side pulling her into his arms, whispering softly to her to try and calm her as he examined her bloodied hand from where she'd been pounding on the metal door.

Charles pulled Angela into his arms, holding her tight and she let everything she'd been holding in go, sobbing into his arms. She barely knew these people apart from the stories Arabella had told her over the phone before Saxon's reign and yet she didn't want any of them to get hurt. The short time she'd known them had only proved to her that Arabella's stories were true, they weren't like the Torchwood members she'd had confrontations with in the past, they were good people and could become good friends in the future.

"What's happening?" Dexter asked, tone serious, as he took command of the situation. Not that he needed to, all the humans with them knew who he was and they would listen to him anyway.

"The Toclafane attacked, Jack and Ianto got us all underground and they were working on shutting down and securing the computer mainframe before they broke into the hub. They didn't finish in time and the Toclafane began to break through. Before we knew what they were doing Jack sealed the door. I think Jack did something to the controls, there's no way to help them; they're trapped in the hub with those monsters. I've been trying to get the door open but it won't budge."

"Don't," Dexter said simply placing his hand over the screen of Tobias' handheld computer.

"What?" Tobias asked, his question echoed softly by others around him.

"Jack and Ianto know what they're doing. If they did this it's the only way. We need to trust them, trust they know what they're doing and trust that they'll do everything they can to get back to us safely," Dexter said, eyes drifting to the solid door between him and his friends.

"But, how...they've saved us so many times and how do we just let them face this on their own?" Dexter turned to find Andy's mum, Ruth, standing amongst the crowd and he could only assume she'd been in her vegetable greenhouse when they'd been evacuated.

"We don't have a choice, they saw to that too keep us safe."

* * *

Leoni jumped a little as an emergency beacon signaled across her computer screen, telling them that Saxon was broadcasting to 'his people'.

"What is it?" Andy asked as the monitors flicked over to see what Saxon was broadcasting.

"Oh my god," Taffy gasped, hand going to cover her mouth as she stared at the destruction on the screen in front of her.

"Can you trace the com units further out than Cardiff?" Andy asked voice sounding hollow.

"I'm working on it and I'm letting the others know as well," Leoni replied working furiously on her computer.

* * *

Tobias' handheld computer let out a frantic beeping, making everyone start and stare at him in confusion.

"What the hell is that?" Dexter asked annoyed, he'd been trying to hear anything on the other side of the door and the beeping had been extremely uncomfortable on his oversensitive ears.

"Leoni's sending me information from where she's working," Tobias explained.

"What's so important that she can't just come and tell you?" Angela asked, she'd helped Leoni set up her computer before returning back to the door so she knew the young Tech girl wasn't that far away.

"...Tobias?" Dexter prompted when there was no immediate answer.

"Saxon's attacked Japan, the islands are burning; he's completely destroyed it; they don't think anyone's survived the attack."

"Tosh and Andre were going to Japan after they'd seen Martha, Tosh wanted to check on her family," Arabella whispered, voice shaking in fear, "Jack was right, we've got a traitor. It's the only way he could know how to attack all of us at exactly the same time. He knew exactly where we would be."

"Once we're through this, I swear Ari, we'll find whoever it is," Dexter said pulling his distraught Mate into his arms.

"Leoni's using one of MI5's remaining satellites to send a ping out for all of our com unit's across the planet... All of ours here except for Rhys' are receiving, which means Jack and Ianto still okay," Tobias explained and a collective sigh came from the civilians, the others knew that just because they were alive enough to keep their com units active, didn't mean they were okay.

The groups was silent, listening as Tobias listed the coms from their units in the UK that were still activated, finally the international coms began to scroll across his screen as the ping spread further, these ones were a lot fewer as they tried to keep everyone as close to home as possible.

"Martha, Zenia and Ifan have all registered," Tobias announced voice proud for their wandering heroes.

"The com Andre left with Francine has registered over Japan... The bastard's watching the country burn," Tobias swore staring at the screen waiting for Tosh and Andre's coms to register.

Before they could an explosion from the main level of the hub knocked everyone off their feet. Whatever was happening on the other side of the door was getting worse, the Toclafane were definitely in there now. As everyone picked themselves back up, staring at the door in shock, worry and fear the final message scrolled across Tobias' screen.

Tobias stared at the message almost unable to say the words that would hurt them all just as much as hearing that explosion. Swallowing hard Tobias waved his hand to get their attention before reading the information out to the others.

"Ping complete, no other signals located."


	30. Chapter 29

Jack and Ianto worked in perfect sync at Tosh's station as the locked down mainframe not needing to talk about what to do next they used their bond to balance each other's work.

The Toclafane were still on their doorstep trying to break their way through the Cog door but the solid, Welsh made door was holding.

The sound of their blades scraping against the door was giving Jack the creeps and hurting his ears, he didn't want to think about how painful it was for Ianto's stronger hearing.

Suddenly the scraping of metal on metal stopped and both men froze in confusion.

Jack turned to look at Ianto seeing as much confusion in Ianto's eyes as he was feeling, "Can we get CCTV?"

Ianto shook his head, "They destroyed the cameras as soon as they got there."

"Maybe the Cog door actually stopped them, that thing is supposed to be indestructible," Jack replied but even as he said it he knew it was only a desperate hope, they'd find another way in.

"It won't be for long before they get in another way, they're still carving their way through the pavement on the Plass_,"_Ianto replied head tipped towards the roof as he listened.

"But it will give us time to finish this."

Jack and Ianto went back to typing, hoping that they had enough time to finish what they needed to do.

* * *

"It's done!"

The words had no sooner left Ianto's mouth when an explosion rocked the hub and shrapnel flew at them from the side.

Jack snatched Ianto's PDA from the desk, and stuffed it into his coat pocket, breaking its connection with Tosh's now locked computers and pulled Ianto to the ground. Pieces of cement and metal flew at them, smashing the computer station above them and hammering down on their backs where they laid.

The Toclafane had found another way in.

Jack had no idea what they had used to blast their way in, but the large hole in the wall beside the Cog Door suggested it had been something fairly powerful, probably from their emergency weapons locker behind the tourist office.

The Toclafane swooped into the room laughing and cheering, blades spinning as they began to tear apart the base, no aim just the purpose to destroy the place.

Jack and Ianto stayed perfectly still currently unnoticed in their position, hidden under debris and what was left of Tosh's desk.

_We need to get out of here_ Jack reached out to Ianto through their bond as he threaded his fingers through Ianto's so the other man couldn't be pulled from him.

_We can't go out through the main entrance without trying to force our way through them, that's suicide_ Ianto replied shuffling forward a little so he could peer around the hub but remain out of sight.

_The invisible lift is out, even if we could get up there, the Plass is swarming with the bastards. We're backed into a corner._ Jack said a wave of fear following his statement, Ianto instantly sent reassurance back to his mate. It would surprise the others just how much their captain felt, everyone assumed he was the strong soldier to felt little and feared nothing, but Jack was just as human as the rest of them. After everything these monsters had done to them and the rest of the world Jack had every right to fear them.

_Your quarters?_ Ianto suggested, it was after all the closest exit to them but he also knew Jack had sealed it for some reason.

_No, there's too many around and I can't cover the door from the inside. We'll be giving them access to the lower levels. We need to find somewhere better to hide. Where we can wait until they thin out so we have more of a chance to slip past them._

_But Jack, we can't hold up forever,_Ianto reasoned even as he searched the hub and his memory for a place they could hide out, if only for a little while. He didn't want them staying here any longer than they had to; he wanted to be safe with Jack in the depths of the hub with the others.

_No but we can last a while. You can feed from me when you need to and I'll be alright for a while_Jack tried to reason but his response only steeled Ianto resolve to get them out of there even more.

_I won't drain you and you'll still starve to death!_Ianto growled, the thought pushing into Jack with a wave of anger.

_I'll be alright_ Jack tried to sooth him.

_No, you'll die!_ Ianto countered and this time the wave of anger was accompanied with a wave of anguish and fear.

_But we'll survive_Jack pushed, feeling a shudder wrack through Ianto's body but he knew Ianto's common sense would win.

"I don't like this," Ianto whispered, thoughts too jumbled, he resorted to his voice, but even that broke a little as he said the words.

"We don't have a choice," Jack whispered back squeezing Ianto's hand once again.

_The weapons locker; there's a short range teleport in there, I know it's a weak one but is it enough to get us on the other side of the wall?_Ianto suggested and Jack thought for a second before nodding, proud of his mate for his quick thinking. The teleport was man by a species with a lot less body mass so it was generally useless, Tosh had planned to work on it, make it stronger before everything happened. Now it should just be enough to save them.

Jack glanced at the locker and checked the path between their current hiding place and where they wanted to be. It looked like the biggest problem was going to be getting down the stair unnoticed.

As quietly as possible they slipped out from under the debris from the Toclafane's grand entrance grateful that nothing heavy had landed on them. Keeping low and behind whatever cover they could find, they made their way towards the stairs. There were four soldiers standing by the new 'doorway', probably the ones who set the explosive to create said doorway but they weren't able to see Jack and Ianto from where they were standing. They were also too busy keeping a cautious eye on the Toclafane who had been known to kill humans who were loyal to Saxon by 'accident' when they were bored.

The Toclafane were busy though, paying no attention to any of the humans in the room as they danced around the hub giggling and cheering 'traitors gone' and 'trash the base' allowing Jack and Ianto to move unnoticed.

Jack and Ianto had almost reached the stairs when the Toclafane outside finally managed to break through the roof, bringing pieces of cement and metal raining down on the hub below. Several pieces hit the pair including a large piece of cement that came crashing down on Jack's back with a sickening sound as several of his ribs broke. Jack muffled a scream by biting into the sleeve of his shirt. As the falling debris stopped, Ianto pushed the piece from his mates back, praying Jack's coughing and wheezing wouldn't draw to much attention to them. They would have even less chance to outrun them not that Jack was injured but he wasn't leaving the other man behind.

It still amazed Ianto just how stupid and childlike the monsters that destroyed their world really were. Without their Master or someone else to guide them, all they wanted to do was have fun and if that fun meant aimless destruction, so be it.

Ianto was just helping Jack to move again when a solid kick to the side sent him flying back into the wall. The same booted foot came stomping down on Jack's ribs a second later forcing a pained cry from the captain's lips.

Ianto shook off his own pain as he rolled back onto his feet, keeping in a crouch he snarled at their attacked, looking for all the world like the 'vampire' he refused to be.

"Well well well, looks like I was wrong, wasn't I, Freak? Too bad about Marcus, but it did get the dumb bastard out of the way," Sophia stood over Jack, foot still pressed into his back and sword tip pressed to the top of his spine. Her other hand held a gun which was currently aimed straight at Ianto.

Ianto shifted his weight ready to make a move to protect Jack but two sounds stopped him, a pained hiss from Jack as Sophia pushed down with both her foot and the sword and the sound of her gun cocking.

"Ah ah ah, little Rask boy, you don't want to be doing that. Silver bullets," she said tipping the gun slightly in emphasis and Ianto's eye widened in surprise, he didn't back down like she expected him to but he didn't move forward either.

"Sophia..." Jack gasped, ice settling in his stomach, he hadn't forgotten how she'd killed Marcus just for thinking he was Jack's mate and now he feared what she'd do to Ianto. She'd planned to deal with Pirask during this attack, silver bullets and her sword; she could take his mate away from him for real this time. His body shook with pain as he coughed up blood, one of his broken ribs had punctured a lung and he was slowly bleeding to death internally.

Sophia looked on with a satisfied smirk "You've learnt my name, which tells me Dexter is hiding around here somewhere. Did you tell him Jack, did you tell your mate here? Tell them you let me kill one of them for no reason," Sophia asked, tone sweet, a complete contrast to the snarl contorting her face.

"Stupid bitch, you did that, not Jack!" Ianto snarled hands clenching into fists, his mind working quickly trying to find a way to save them. The Toclafane were gaining interest in their Mistresses activities, moving in, making their chances smaller by the minute.

"Oh no, I'm not stupid at all. I've caught the Freak again and his precious mate. My Master will be pleased with me. The Freak's the only stupid one here, all he had to do is stay underground but no, he had to go causing problems and us straight to you."

Ianto's growl echoed around the hub, Sophia pulled back her lips as her teeth descended snarling back at him, Jack squirmed too weak from his injuries to do much more, he tried to turn so he could see what was happening without skewering himself on the sword, "No, this has nothing to do with me, you would have attacked them even if I was still up on the valiant," Jack said drawing her attention back to him.

Sophia's giggle was hauntingly similar to those of the Toclafane around them who echoed her, "You're right and since you've obviously missed it so much, you can go back to being the Master's pet, I'm sure he'll play with you even more when we get back, I know he's missed having something to take his frustrations out on."

"You're not taking him anywhere," Ianto snapped instinctively moving forward, jerking back as the gun fired, and a silver bullet tore through his shoulder.

"Noo!" Jack jerked himself around ignoring the pain as the sword sliced into the side of his neck only just missing his jugular. Sophia removed her foot from his back to stop him knocking her off her feet as her rolled onto his side so he could see Ianto. The two of them stared at each other, both wracked with pain but neither wanting to lose sight of each other, not now.

"Look at you, both so pathetic," Sophia sneered raising her gun and taking aim at Ianto.

A shadow fell across them briefly, Sophia didn't notice but Ianto's eyes flew up, dread filled him, he knew what caused that shadow, "Noo!" Ianto cried but his cry was drowned out by a much louder cry as Myfanwy announced her presence to the rest of the hub.

Sophia spun around in shock and Jack moved as quickly as his injuries would allow him.

Myfanwy swooped at the intruder to her hub, the intruder who dared to hurt _her_ humans.

Scrambling to the weapons locker Jack wretched the broken door open and stumbled inside hands scrambling across the shelves as he searched for the teleport.

Sophia managed to duck the first swoop, discarding her sword, she reached for a second gun, swinging around and taking aim at Myfanwy. Ianto jumped forward tearing the guns from her hands and throwing them across the hub. Sophia turned on him slamming her fist into Ianto's bullet injury knocking him back and causing him to pass out from pain.

Myfanwy swooped again as she saw Ianto go down this time her claws caught Sophia across the back.

"Get rid of that thing!" Sophia roared at the Toclafane who had been flying around eagerly watching the entertainment.

Jack stumbled to Ianto's side; dropping beside his unconscious mate, he awkwardly wrapped his arm around Ianto so the teleport would take them both.

Sophia watched in fascination and pleasure as the Toclafane advanced on Myfanwy, ignoring her other prey for the moment.

Jack threw one last desperate look at Myfanwy knowing there was nothing he could do to save her, "I'm sorry, beautiful, I'm so sorry," Jack whispered before hitting the activation sequence on the teleport and they blinked away.


End file.
